science, Swammerdam, for a time, was only a silent auditor; but his natural reserve by degrees wore off, and he not only took an active share in them, but delighted and surprised his fellow-guests by clearly demonstrating the structure and functions of the viscera of the lower animals, which had hitherto been supposed, owing to their minuteness and delicacy, to be beyond the reach of human scrutiny. His talents and disposition appear to have attached Thevenot to him warmly; and this feeling was as ardently returned, for Swammerdam declared shortly before his death, that he had never possessed so faithful and valuable a friend. Through Thevenot's good offices, he was introduced, and strongly recommended, to Conrad Van Beuningen of Amsterdam, at that time ambassador at the court of France, which opened up a new channel through which many benefits were conveyed to him after his return to his native city.
For three years subsequent to the period referred to, Swammerdam devoted the greater portion of his time to the study of physic and human anatomy. This he was induced to do, both from a desire to take a degree in medicine, and to enter upon the practice of it as a profession. The first fruit of his study were communicated to a society formed by the principal physicians of Amsterdam, for the cultivation of Medicine and Anatomy, and were subsequently published in their transactions under the superintendence of Casper Commelin. The subject was the Spinal Marrow. Of this he made a valuable
