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SKETCH OF BOERHAAVE.

Ir comes within the scope of your design, I believe, to insert in your work biographies of literary, scientific, and pious persons. And, in my opinion, no instruction is comparable with that of teaching lessons of virtue and piety by example. In aid of your praise-worthy plan I have abridged the life of a distinguished physician, written by Dr. Johnson, and who died in the last century.

Dr. Herman Boerhaave was born 1668, at Voorhout, near Leyden. His father was minister of Voorhout, and a learned man. His mother was a tradesman's daughter, and had obtain ed a knowledge of physic not common in female students.

Boerhaave was always designed by his father for the ministry. At the age of eleven, he had made great proficiency in grammatical learning and the elements of languages. To recreate his mind and strengthen his constitution, he employed himself in agriculture, which he continued through life, to the benefit of his mind and body. His studies were interrupted at the age of 12 by a malignant ulcer, upon his left thigh, which for near five years afflicted him severely, and defeated the art of his physicians. Then it was his own pain taught him to compassionate others, and ineited him to attempt the dissovery of other methods more certain than those used for him. At the age of 14 he lost his father. At this early age he was vietorious in every contest for prizes Vol. VI.-No. 1.

For the Christian Disciple.

at his school. His father left him but little property, but with a resolution equal to his abilities, and an unshaken spirit he determined to supply by diligence. the want of fortune. At the university his genius and industry met with patronage and applause. Young Boerhaave made great advances in all the sciences; he studied mathematises for pleasure and from a conviction of their necessity; but regulated his studies with a view to divinity. At the age of 22, having uncommon repu, tation for piety and erudition, he took his degree in philoso, phy. He read the scriptures in their original languages, and was struck with veneration of the purity of the doctrine of the early writers and the holiness of their lives. Having exhausted his fortune in the pursuit of his studies and having an uncommon knowledge of the mathematics, he read lectures in those sciences, for a support.

His propension to the study of physie induced him to devote considerable time to medical writers, although he intended it only for diversion. He read the ancient physicians through all the Greek and Latin writers; he engaged in the practice of chymistry and botany with great eagerness. He intended, after taking the degree of doctor in physic, which he obtained at the age of 25, to carry into effeet his pious design of undertaking the ministry. But a malicious report having been industriously spread of his be

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ing an Atheist, he thought it neither necessary nor prudent to struggle with the torrent of popular prejudice, and determined to devote himself to a profession which must claim the second place among those which are of the greatest benefit to mankind.

Boerhaave began to visit patients, but without much encours agement. His time was wholly taken up in visiting the sick, studying, making chymical experiments, teaching mathematics, and reading the scriptures. At the age of 33 he was elected to a professorship of physic in the university, and read lectures with great applause. He reduced the science of chymistry to certain principles. He continued advancing in reputation at home and abroad, and foreign societies elected him to memberships. He had the gout so severely that he was confined to his bed five months, and he declared, that when he lay whole days and nights without sleep, he found no method so diverting as meditations upon his studies--reviewing those stores of knowledge which he had reposited in his memory. His patience was founded on religion, not vanity, not on vain reasonings, but on confidence in

God.

So far was this great master from presumptive confidence in his abilities, that, in his examinations of the sick, he was remarkably circumstantial; and he well knew that life is not to be sacrificed, either to an affectation of quick discernment, or of crowded practice, but may be required, if trifled away, at the hand of the physician.

In his last illness, which was to the last degree lingering and painful, his firmness did not forsake him. He neither intermitted the necessary cares of life, nor forgot the proper preparations for death. He said his long sickness had afforded him opportunities of contemplating the wonderful and inexplicable union of soul and body; that his soul was always master of itself, and always resigned to the pleasure of its Maker. He lamented any impatience under suffering, saying, he that loves God. ought to think noth→ ing desirable but what is most pleasing to the Supreme Goodness. As death approached he was more cheerful under his torments. He died in the 70th year of his age.

Thus died Boerhaave, a man formed by nature for great designs, and guided by religion in the exertion of his abilities. He was of a robust and athletic constitution of body, so hardened by early severities and wholsome fatigues, that he was insensible to inelemencies of weather. He was cheerful, forbearing and forgiving, and was an admirable example of temperance, fortitude, humility and devotion. His piety and a religious sense of his dependence on God, was the basis of all his virtues, and the principle of his whole conduct. He ascribed nothing to himself, did not conceive' he could subdue passion or withstand temptation by his own power; but attributed every good thought, and every laudable action, to the Father of Goodness. He avowed that he had attained to a mastery over a resentful temper

by daily prayer and meditation. Throughout his life the first hour, after rising in the morning, he retired to private prayer and meditation, and told his friends it gave him spirit and vigour in the business of the day. He therefore commended it as the best rule of life, for nothing, he knew, could support the soul but a confidence in God, nor can a steady and rational magnanimity flow from any other source than a consciousness of the divine favour.

The excellence of the christian religion was the frequent

subject of his conversation. He asserted on all occasions the divine authority and sacred efficacy of the holy scriptures, and maintained that they alone taught the way of salvation, and that they only could give peace of mind. Sach were the sentiments of Boerhaave. May his example extend its influence to his admirers and followers! May those who study his writings imitate his life! And those who endeavour after his knowledge aspire to his piety! S. AB

MORAL AND RELIGIOUS NARRATIVES.

No. I. The Family Bible. "SHALL We send off our new family bible with the other furniture ?" said Mr. Olney to his wife, when they were packing up several household articles, which their reduced circumstances compelled them to dispose of at public auction. Mrs. Olney started with some alarm at the question-her cheek reddened her eye moistened and she looked at her husband with that expression of mingled doubt and confidence, which we feel when a friend whom we love lets fall a careless yet cutting remark. "Did I not know, Mr. Olney," she replied, "that however gay and elastic your spirits usually are, you never are in the habit of jesting on serious subjects, I should suspect you now, not only of trifling with my feelings, but also of really sporting with sacred things." "I repeat the ques

For the Christian Disciple. tion, then, my dear," said he, "and assure you that I am in earnest. Nothing but the distress of our circumstances could compel me to suggest the proposal." Mrs. Olney said nothing, but taking a small pair of golden pendants from her ears, which were set with brilliant pearl, and had adorned her better days, she went to her husband, smiled, and put her only remaining jewels into his hand. She then carried away in triumph the bible, which she placed, after kissing it, with something like an air of affection, into a trunk, among a few indis. pensable articles which she was about to reserve.

Their course of life henceforward became changed from what it formerly had been. They experienced a total reverse. There were some friends, it is true, who were, if possible, drawn still closer to them by this new bond of adversity.

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But the larger portion of their acquaintance gradually avoided and forgot them. They never thought of complaining at this conduct, and, as we think, they had no right to complain. It was impossible for them to reciprocate attentions according to the established forms of society, so that the visits and notice of more prosperous persons could only have laid upon them a burden, which it was not in their power to discharge. Murmurings have been too frequent against the hard heartedness of the world in this respect. Undoubtedly we can find too many instances for the honour of human nature of proud and haughty prosperity but do we, on the other hand, find too many examples of meek and resigned adversity? And besides, we might perhaps discover, if we looked into the breasts of the rich, that it is often rather a delicacy of mind than a triumph of imagined superiority. which induces them to avoid their former friends when sunk into poverty. They may imagine that notice, under such circumstances, is oppression; that condescension is insult; that intercourse is intolerable, because it is not equal; and indeed, if we may judge by what we have sometimes seen, their supposition would not be far from the right. But we are forgetting that our immediate business is narrative, and not discussion.

In proportion as Mr. and Mrs. Olney became abstracted from the rich and fashionable world, they were compelled to seek for resources of felicity within themselves. In their

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brightest days, religion had never been swallowed up by the deceitfulness of life." Its light had only served to mellow and subdue the brillianey which glistened from the sunshine of the world. Now that that sunshine had gone down, there still beamed within their hearts the same religion-like the evening star which only seems to glow more intensely, from the comparative darkness around it.

Their days were now passed in labour. Instead of those benevolent projects, those charitable visits, those festive assemblies, and that idly busy routine, with which their time was formerly measured and filled up, they were constantly employed in manual industry. But they were as happy as they were industrious. One evening, when they were conversing on the many resources which even the humbleness of their present situation allowed them for happiness, Mr. Olney exclaimed, "But for the best and richest of all our comforts, Mrs. O. we are indebted to your care and providence. "Explain yourself, Mr. Olney," said she. "Why," replied he, "have we, or can we have a greater pleasure on earth than we derive from our daily and punctual task of perusing a portion of the holy scriptures? When engaged over that sacred page, what a contrast does the employment present to our occupations abroad? There, all is tumult, hurry, noise. Here, all is peace, calmness, joy. In the world, we see many examples of folly and wickedness, by the influence of which we are constantly liable to be corrupted,

In the bible, we see treasures of heavenly wisdom, which so far from disgusting or making us degenerate, impart both to our intellects and hearts a delightful charm, and resist, as I hope, the contaminating influences to which we are exposed. How many times have I been able to subdue a temptation, by the recollection of some forcible precept which I had read in the morning. How often have I been cheered and sustained in my weary toil, by the thought of the single hour which I should pass in the evening, either in reading that holy book, or pursuing those silent meditations, or joining with you in that sweet converse, which its sublime truths and doctrines suggested! Did I go then too far, in pronouncing you to be the immediate author of our most valuable blessings? The eyes of Mrs. Olney dropped, as she heard this sincere and well-merited praise. Her heart throbbed with so much pleasure at listening to commendations from one, whom she had every reason to cherish and respect, that she began to grow alarmed at her almost exuiting self complaceney. which she checked immediately by the following reply: "Rather, Mr. Olney, let us look up to a higher source for whatever comforts and blessings we are at present enjoying." They kneeled, and joined in their evening devotions.

anger or regret. It had hith. erto been her custom to reward the virtues of her young family by allowing them to amuse themselves over the plates in the family bible. The girl just mentioned was therefore punished for her misdemeanour by an exclusion from the amusement during that day. She received the punishment with sorrow, rather because it was an expression of her mother's displeasure, than for the sake of the trifling disappointment which she had incurred For that very reason, however, so long as the exclusion lasted, so long she felt unhappy; and while her brothers and sisters were engaged in admiring some new picture which they had never happened to see before, or in tracing the history of another, or eagerly pointing out beauties in another, perhaps for the hundredth time-our little culprit could no longer endure her state of condemnation, but going with tears in her eyes to her mother, said, "I remember, mamma, that you told papa what an excellent command you thought that one was, which he read this morning-Let not the sun go down upon thy wrath, And when I asked you what wrath was, you said it was anger, and told me always to ob serve the command Now, mam ma, I will confess I was a little angry, though I had no right to be, for not being permitted to look over the pictures in the bible; but I forgot it all a good while ago, because you told me I must obey the command. Now do, dear mamma, do the same as I have done, and forgive me before the sun goes

On the next day, when her husband had departed for the scene of his daily employments, she was compelled, for some reason or other, to chide a fine little daughter, who seldom in. deed gave her parents eause of

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