LIFE OF THE AUTHOR.

...a very large pancreas, which, pouring a very rich abundance of pancreatic juice through diverse and large outlets, open to the first intestine, offered a most welcome opportunity to examine this juice, so famous at this time. He observed it accurately and found nothing acidic in it, but rather found it to have a rancid and bitter taste, such that it smelled like garum fermented fish sauce. He freely pointed this out against the dogmas of De Graaf and Sylvius. He also noted a few things in the hospital, but mostly as side-work. His main work was now to pursue insects with infinite diligence, nor did he allow himself even a moment's respite from them. Whence, in the year 1669, he published their general history, the labor of a most daring undertaking, of a most happy result. He dedicated the book to the Most Ample and Most Noble CONSULS of the city of Amsterdam. But when he studied to perfect the immense work and to amplify the Collection of Insects by buying them from every region of the world and arranging them in cabinets, daily expenses were to be poured out, nor in the meantime did he capture even an obol of profit. This began to displease his father, who had always fed his son at home and had borne the expenses for everything; while he, in the meantime, now over thirty years old, had lost the best part of his life in caring for those things which brought no profit, nothing necessary for life. For that reason, he scolded his son daily and urged him seriously to finally set himself to the practice of medicine for the sick. The son, on the contrary, insisted all the more sharply, so that he might finish the sooner; he pleaded meanwhile that he could shortly bring to completion the business he was currently engaged in; and he promised that he would then be willing to apply himself to practicing the medical art most vigorously. When, therefore, the father saw that his son was stagnant, that he persisted and did not make an end to his undertakings, he severely threatened that if he did not commit himself to medical practice immediately and omit anatomy, and abstain from insects and experiments, but continued in these further in his own way, he would no longer provide him with clothes or money. But at the same time, he also completely cut off every opportunity for him to make any progress thereafter. Exhausted by so many labors, and languishing from a long illness, he nevertheless thought that his parent spoke justly, and he brought his mind to comply with his father's admonitions. Yet his weak health was unequal to bearing the labor of practice. He therefore decided to go to the countryside for the sake of strengthening his health, so that, refreshed, he might cheerfully devote himself to practicing the art. While he was doing this in the month of June of the year 1670, he was barely in the country when, immediately, without the loss of a moment, he again investigated insects in every way; obviously, the free solitude and the present opportunity of observing insects impelled him, where his nature was rushing of its own accord. Thevenot, meanwhile, aware of all these things through acquaintances, urged the most dear man to return to France. He offered him most generously all those things which he judged necessary so that he might promote his studies in natural things according to the desire of his mind. But if these things had moved the son, the father prohibited it, as he wrote to Thevenot on October 30 of the same year. But so that he might offer something to his indignant father...