THE LIFE OF THE WRITER.

...as he thought. See him on Respiration, pp. 90-91. After that time, he wrote on the 24th of September 1665, that perhaps the widely famous Mr. Frederik Ruysch might have seen those drawings before he published his own on the same matter. This was by chance, that he was sending the little book that Mr. Ruysch had published this year in The Hague from Amsterdam to Mr. Thevenot in Paris; he seemed to want to imply there, in a veiled way, that perhaps that gentleman had made use of his work and invention; but he added immediately after that he could never maintain this; that he loved Mr. Ruysch in the highest degree, and that he was very happy that through this man the true knowledge of these valves had become known. And anyone who looks at the matter sees that it is not true. For Ruysch had shown them long before to Bils and others before he published his booklet. But the letter sent to Steno in Copenhagen, and sent from there to him in Amsterdam, had arrived too late. And if they had been seen by Ruysch, how would he have dared to publish those drawings without making mention of the inventor, while Swammerdam was living and present? Meanwhile, he described, above other things, in France on the Loire, the flying creature called the damselfly, and some kinds of mayflies. In Paris, he lived with Steno, in the same house, in the utmost familiarity. At the same time, he enjoyed there the friendship of the Great Honorable Mr. Melchisedech Thevenot, former Ambassador of the French Crown to the Republic of Genoa. On his pleasant country estate, Yffi, close to Paris, he was entertained with Steno, and found various small creatures there. Mr. Thevenot, in this association, saw through the special nature of this man's spirit, and the fortunate cleverness with which he had decorated it to the highest degree. Therefore, he most generously offered him all that he judged could contribute to the advancement of his hobby. He remained mindful of these kindnesses his whole life long, and always more and more overwhelmed by them; he wrote not long before his death that he had found in Thevenot alone a firm, faithful, true friend, and that he had found no one among all men his equal. Mr. Thevenot led him into the company of the learned, who often came together in his house for the continuation of the liberal arts. There, he listened, always silent, and could not be moved to speak a single word. Finally, through much urging, against his will and desire, he gave one or two proofs of the dissection of small creatures, by which he placed their internal organs before the eyes. Then he was praised by everyone with the utmost astonishment; but he turned the prattling of the chatterers with his silent art. Mr. Thevenot brought him here into the favor of the Great Honorable Mr. Koenraad van Beuningen, Counselor and Mayor of the City of Amsterdam; at that time Ambassador of the States General to the French Court. This man ensured that he received the freedom to be able to cut the corpses of those deceased in the hospital at Amsterdam; which permission served him to the highest degree to continue his practice in the art. Returned to Amsterdam, he gave himself over entirely to the examination of dead