are as far removed from credulity on one hand, as from fcepticism on the other. From the lectures of Du Vernoy he imbibed his first tafte for botany, and made fo rapid a progrefs in the ftudy of anatomy, that his mafter predicted, from feveral differtations, his future proficiency in that line. Notwithftanding, however, his ftrong and invariable attachment to these two branches of natural history, he represents himself as ftudying invita minerva, against nature; anatomy though he could not support bad fmells, and botany though he was extremely fhort-fighted. At Tubingen he alfo diftinguished his knowledge in mineralogy, by refuting the error of Tournefort, in afcribing to foffils a vegetating power.

During his continuance in that univerfity, he gave an inftance of his early controul over his paffions; a difficult conqueft for a young man of ftrong feelings and lively imagination. A fingle deviation into excefs,, into which he had been hurried by the example of fome of his fellow-pupils, fo greatly affected a perfon like him, no less enamoured of virtue, than fufceptible of ingenuous fhame, that he inftantly formed a refolution to abstain from wine; and adopted a ftrictness of morals, which renders highly probable the affertion of his French encomiaft, the Marquis de Condorcet, that he was defcended from a family, in which piety might be faid to be hereditary.

In 1725, Haller repaired to Leyden, to which place he was drawn by the great reputation of Boerhaave. Here he found a more ample field for a display of his abilities, and the improvement of his mind.

He became the favourite fcholar of Boerhaave, by whofe example and encouragement he ftrengthened his growing inclination for botany. He noted down his mafter's lectures on the Inftitutes of Medicine with fuch precifion, as afterwards gave birth to one of his most useful publications. He continued his anatomical ftudies under Albinus, just then rifing into fame, and the venerable Ruych, who fo highly improved the art of injecting anatomical prepara tions.

The precarious ftate of his health, probably occafioned, or at least increafed, by his intense application, induced him to accompany two of his countrymen through part of Germany. On his return, in 1726, he received his doctor's degree, though only in the nineteenth year of his age; and published on that occafion his inaugural differtation de Ductu falivali Cofchwiziano.

In 1727 he vifited England, was favourably received by Chefelden, Douglas, and Sir Hans Sloane; and improved his knowledge of medicine and furgery under the aufpices of thofe celebrated men, and by diligently attending the hofpitals.

At Paris, whither he next directed his course, he studied botany under Geoffroy and Juffieu; anatomy under Le Dran and Winflow, a celebrated furgeon. Winflow was indeed his favourite master, to whom he particularly attached himself; whom he proposed to his difciples as the best model for their imitation, as an anatomift who, fhackled by no fyftem, defcribed fimply and faithfully what he himself obferved in his diffections.

Haller had propofed to continue his travels to Italy, that country where medicinal knowledge firft

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"Smit with the love of facred fong," he might indulge his enthufiafm and improve his tafte in claffical literature. The uncertain ftate of his health, the maladie du pays, which fo remarkably affects the Swifs in foreign parts, and on which he has composed a poem, together with the advice of his friends, prevailed over his inclination, and induced him to return to his native country.

In his way to Berne he ftopped at Bafle, in order to ftudy mathematics and algebra under the celebrated John Bernoulli; and in this, as well as every other inftance of his life, applied with fuch indefatigable perfeverance, as if thofe fciences were to form the fole object of his future researches. His proficiency in these studies is fufficiently proved by feveral treatifes ftill extant in manufcript, which he composed on arithmetic and geometry, and particularly by his remarks on the Marquis de l'Hofpital's Analyfis of Infinitefimals; and his attachment to them by his being deeply employed in a profound calculation on the day of his marriage. But though he made fuch a progrefs as aftonished Bernoulli himself, he continued his other purfuits, being appointed to read lectures on anatomy during the fickness of the profeffor: while he fulfilled the duties of that office, he alfo attended the lectures of Tzinger on the practical parts of medicine; thus at the fame time difplaying, with equal propriety, the dignity of a profeflor, and the humility of a pupil.

During the fummer of 1729, he, in company with his friend John Gefner, made an excurfion into the

curfion rendered memorable by its fuggefting to him the plan of a Flora Helvetica, and by infpiring his poem on the Alps, which he compofed in the 21ft year of his age; a poem as fublime and immortal as the mountains which are the fubject of his fong.

Not to interrupt these biographical anecdotes with a chronological detail of his poetical productions, I fhall juft mention, that, not long after his poem on the Alps, he wrote his ethic epiftles, on the Imperfection of Human Virtue, on Superftition and Infidelity, on the Origin of Evil, on the Vanity of Honour, Various Satires, Doris, a Paftoral on his first wife, and his much-admired Elegy on her death. It is a convincing proof of Haller's verfatile genius and extraordinary mental powers, that he should have fo eminently excelled in poetry, which, except in his early youth, he never confidered otherwife than as an amufement, either to foothe him under afflictions, and in the bed of ficknefs, or to confole him for the envy and neglect of his contemporaries.

The foundest German critics place Haller among the most eminent of their poets; and confider fublimity as the grand characteristic of his writings. They acknowledge, that he improved the harmony and richness of his native tongue; that he poffeffed the highest powers of invention and fancy; great originality both in his ideas and language; that he is the true colourist of nature; that he founded the depths of metaphyfical and moral science; that he equally excels in picturefque defcriptions, in ioft and delightful imagery, in elevated fentiments, and philofophical precifion.

A few

A few fupercilious critics have reproached his poetry with occafional obfcurities; and accuse him of having introduced a new language affectedly averse to the common modes of diction. Cold criticism may cenfure; but twenty-two fucceffive editions of his German poems, and the translation of them into the principal languages of Europe, prove, that they pottefs the great aim of poetry, that of pleafing and interefting the reader. And it may be remarked with truth, that although Haller's ftupendous labours in erudition and science render his poetical talents of inferior account; yet that if he had confined himself to poetry, that alone would have immortalized his name.

But it is time to follow Haller to his native city, where he returned, in 1729, expecting from his countrymen that refpect and patronage, he had fo liberally received abroad. He had, however, the mortification to experience that neglect, and even envy, to which every man of genius is expofed in his own country, and which he seems to have augmented by his fatirical compofitions.

He continued three years without having the intereft to procure any public employment; and, though he prevailed on government to eftablish an anatomical theatre, and gave lectures gratis; yet he did not fucceed in obtaining the place of phyfician to the hofpital, which he much defired. He alfo felicited a profefforfhip, and was again repulfed. He seems to have fenfibly felt these disappointments, and expreffed his impatience and indignation in his fatirical poems. Instead, however, of damping his activity or abating the ardour of his genius, he redoubled his application and fervices

in order to force himself into public notice.

His literary reputation began now to fpread itfelf by various botanical, anatomical, and medical publications, and by a collection of poems, which first made its appearance in 1732.

At length, in 1736, he received, unfolicited on his part, the offer of the profefforfhip of phyfic, botany, and furgery, in the univerfity of Gottingen, newly established by George the Second. Notwithfianding, however, all the advantages and honours which accompanied this offer, he, for fome time, hefitated whether he should accept it. He had, in 1731, efpoufed a young lady of good family, whose great beauty and accomplishments were rendered still more endearing by her affectionate fubferviency to his manner of life. She had brought him three children; and these ties attached him more ftrongly to his native place, where his merits had procured him many fincere friends; and the air of which he confidered as in fome refpect neceffary for the continuance of his health. On the contrary, the honour of being invited by fo great a monarch, the dignity of the establishment to which he was called, and the confideration of having a more ample theatre for the improvement of his knowledge, induced him to remove to Gottingen.

During feventeen years, in which he refided at Gottingen, where his abilities expanded in proportion as his opportunities of acquiring knowledge increafed; he obtained from government the establishment of a botanical garden, which he superintended, of an anatomical theatre, a school for midwifery, and a col

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lege for the improvement of furgery. He formed the plan for a Royal Society of Sciences, of which he was appointed perpetual prefident.

The comprehenfive mind and verfatile genius of Haller, united with his unremitting diligence and ardour, in all his pursuits, enabled him to cultivate with uncommon fuccefs, a variety of knowledge. Had not the great Swede pre-occupied the field, it is probable, that Haller would have ftood the first among his contemporaries as an improver of botanical knowledge.

In 1742, his great botanical work on the plants of Switzerland, the refult of fourteen years ftudy, made its appearance. It was entitled, Enumeratio Methodica Stirpium Helvetia, in 2 vols. folio. It was the moft copious Flora the world had ever feen, comprifing 1,840 fpecies, and was enriched with feveral advantages, that rendered it fingularly acceptable. The preface contains a compendious geographical defcription of Switzerland, and of the Alps particularly; an account of all the authors who had written on the plants of that country; the recital of his own journies; acknowledgments to those who had affifted him; concluding with the order and method he means to pursue in this work.

[We must refer our readers for a more detailed account of the botanical and medical works of Haller, to Mr. Coxe's valuable letter, from which these extracts are taken.]

He proceeds to inform us that Haller's emoluments augmented as his merits were difplayed; and honours flowed upon him from all quarters. He was elected, in 1748, into the Royal Society of Stock

holm, into that of London in 1749, and in 1754 chofen one of the eight foreign members in the Academy of Sciences at Paris. In 1739, he was appointed physician to George the Second, and king's counsellor in 1740. In 1749, the emperor Francis conferred on him letters of nobility at the request of George the Second; and about the fame time the king, in a vifit which he paid to the university, diftinguished Haller with particular marks of approbation.

He declined, in 1745, an invitation to Oxford, which would probably have terminated in his nomination to the profefforship of botany, vacant by the death of the celebrated Dillenius; a fecond from the univerfity of Utrecht; and, in 1750, a third from the king of Pruffia, with the offer of a very confiderable pension.

At length, in 1753, induced by the precarious ftate of his health, by the defire of removing from Gottingen, which he called the grave of his wives, and by his earneft anxiety to dedicate the remainder of his days to the service of his country, he took a journey to Berne, in order to procure an establishment, which, though not adequate to his prefent appointments, might place him in the bofom of his beloved Switzerland.

His grateful country rewarded this difinterested attachment with the moft liberal and unbounded confidence, and employed his talents in the public fervice.

In 1757, he was fent to reform the academy of Laufanne; and, in the following year, was deputed by the Senate to examine fome curious remains of antiquity lately difcovered at Culm. About the

fame

fame time he was appointed director of the falt-works at Bex and Aigle, with an annual falary of £500. During the term of this appointment, which continued fix years, he refided at La Roche.

On his return to Berne he was elected member of the chamber of appeal for the German district, of the council of finances, of the committees for matrimonial affairs, and for improving the fmall livings in the French district of the canton: he was alfo appointed perpetual affeffor of the Council of Health, with an annual falary of about £. 100, as a token of his country's gratitude for having declined fo many fplendid offers from foreign courts, and for preferring his native place to the advancement of his fortune.

He resumed his literary labours, which had been neceffarily interrupted amidst his other more important avocations. He published, in 1768, his hiftory of Swifs plants, mentioned above; and, in 1771, the first part of his Bibliotheca Medicina, or his Medical Library.

Eight volumes of this work were published during the author's lifetime, between the years 1771 and 1778. The anatomical, including the phyfiology, the botanical, and the chirurgical, were each comprifed in two volumes, and bring down the respective fubjects nearly to the prefent time. Two, on the practice of phyfic, were publifhed by Haller himfelf, a third after his decease by Dr. Tribolet, and a fourth by Dr. Brandis of Childenfheim, from the manufcript of Haller, which the learned author has confiderably augmented.

In 1766, and the following years, this great man, who had hitherto enlightened fcience from his closet, difplayed in the theatre of public life the more active and diftinguished parts of a patriot and politician. He re-established the harmony and fettled the difputes between the Vallais and the canton of Berne by a fuccessful negociation, in which he fixed the new boundaries of the two fiates; he was affociated with the most enlightened characters of the republic in terminating the diffentions of Geneva; he drew up the principal dispatches to the court of Verfailles on the fubject of the changes which had been projected at Verfoi, on which occafion he held a perfonal conference with the French ambaffador; and was employed to prepare the plan of a treaty, which the canton of Berne contracted with the Elector of Bavaria relating to the purchase of

falt.

Haller alfo employed the latter period of his life in fending extracts from eminent publications for the Bibliotheque Raisonnée; furnished many of the articles for the fupplement to the Paris Encyclopédie, for the quarto improved edition of the fame work published at Yverdun, and for the dictionary of natural hiftory printed at the fame place. He meditated alio a new edition of his great phyfiological work, of which he put forth the first volume in 1777, only a few months before his death.

His active imagination brooding on the civil and political affairs, in which he had been lately engaged, produced, between 1771 and 1774, his three political romances, Ufang, Alfred, and Fabius and Cato, which treat of the defpotic, monarchical, and republican governments. In Ufong he sketches, with a mafterly

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