[335]ForErasmus，seethelettercitedinBascome，HistoryofEpidemicPestilences，London，1851。FortheaccountoftheconditionofQueenElizabeth’spresencechamber，seethesame，p。
　　206；seealsothesameforattemptsatsanitationbyCaius，Mead，Pringle，andothers；alsoseeBaasandvariousmedicalauthorities。FortheplagueinLondon，seeGreen’sHistoryoftheEnglishPeople，chap。ix，sec。2；andforamoredetailedaccount，seeLingard，HistoryofEngland，enlargededitionof1849，vol。ix，pp。107etseq。Forfullscientificdiscussionofthisandotherplaguesfromamedicalpointofview，seeCreighton，HistoryofEpidemicsinGreatBritain，vol。ii，chap。
　　i。FortheLondonplagueasapunishmentforSabbath-breaking，seeADivineTragedielatelyacted，orAcollectionofsundrymemorableexamplesofGod’sjudgementsuponSabbathBreakersandotherlikelibertines，etc。，bytheworthydivine，Mr。HenryBurton，1641。Thebookgivesfifty-sixaccountsofSabbath-
　　breakerssorelypunished，generallystruckdead，inEngland，withplaces，names，anddates。ForageneralaccountoftheconditionofLondoninthesixteenthandseventeenthcenturies，andthediminutionoftheplaguebytherebuildingofsomepartsofthecityafterthegreatfire，seeLecky，HistoryofEnglandintheEighteenthCentury，vol。i，pp。592，593。Forthejailfever，seeLecky，vol。i，pp。500-503。
　　ThesamethingwasseenintheProtestantcoloniesofAmerica；
　　buthere，whileplaguesweresteadilyattributedtoDivinewrathorSatanicmalice，therewasonecaseinwhichitwasclaimedthatsuchavisitationwasduetotheDivinemercy。ThepestilenceamongtheINDIANS，beforethearrivalofthePlymouthColony，wasattributedinanotableworkofthatperiodtotheDivinepurposeofclearingNewEnglandfortheheraldsofthegospel；ontheotherhand，theplagueswhichdestroyedtheWHITE
　　populationwereattributedbythesameauthoritytodevilsandwitches。InCottonMather’sWonderoftheInvisibleWorld，publishedatBostonin1693，wehavestrikingexamplesofthis。
　　ThegreatPuritandivinetellsus：
　　“Plaguesaresomeofthosewoes，withwhichtheDiviltroublesus。ItissaidoftheIsraelites，in1Cor。10。10。THEYWERE
　　DESTROYEDOFTHEDESTROYER。Thatis，theyhadthePlagueamongthem。’TistheDestroyer，ortheDivil，thatscattersPlaguesabouttheWorld：PestilentialandContagiousDiseases，’tistheDivel，whodo’softentimesInvadeuswiththem。’Tisnouneasything，fortheDivel，toimpregnatetheAiraboutus，withsuchMalignantSalts，asmeetingwiththeSaltofourMicrocosm，shallimmediatelycastusintothatFermentationandPutrefaction，whichwillutterlydissolveAlltheVitalTyeswithinus；Ev’nasanAquaFortis，madewithaconjunctionofNitreandVitriol，CorrodeswhatitSiezesupon。AndwhentheDivelhasraisedthoseArsenicalFumes，whichbecomeVenomous。QuiversfullofTerribleArrows，howeasilycanheshootthedeleteriousMiasmsintothoseJuicesorBowelsofMen’sBodies，whichwillsoonEnflamethemwithaMortalFire！HencecomesuchPlagues，asthatBeesomeofDestructionwhichwithinourmemorysweptawaysuchathrongofpeoplefromoneEnglishCityinoneVisitation：andhencethoseInfectiousFeavers，whicharebutsomanyDisguisedPlaguesamongus，CausingEpidemicalDesolations。”
　　Mathergivesseveralinstancesofwitchescausingdiseases，andspeaksof“somelongBow’ddownundersuchaSpiritofInfirmity“
　　being“MarvelouslyRecoveredupontheDeathoftheWitches。”ofwhichhegivesaninstance。Healsocitesacasewhereapatient“wasbroughtuntodeath’sdoorandsoremaineduntilthewitchwastakenandcarriedawaybytheconstable，whenhebeganatoncetorecoverandwassoonwell。”[336]
　　[336]ForthepassagesfromCottonMather，seehisbookascited，pp。17，18，also134，145。Johnsondeclaresthat“bythismeanesChrist……notonlymaderoomeforHispeopletoplant，butalsotamedthehardandcruellheartsofthesebarbarousIndians，insomuchthatahalfeahandfulofHispeoplelandingnotlongafterinPlymouthPlantation，foundlittleresistance。”SeeTheHistoryofNewEngland，byEdwardJohnson，London，1654。
　　ReprintedintheMassachusettsHistoricalSociety’sCollection，secondseries，vol。i，p。67。
　　InFrancewesee，duringgenerationaftergeneration，asimilarhistoryevolved；pestilenceafterpestilencecame，andwasmetbyvariousfetiches。NoteworthyistheplagueatMarseillesnearthebeginningofthelastcentury。Thechroniclesofitsswayareghastly。Theyspeakofgreatheapsoftheunburieddeadinthepublicplaces，“formingpestilentialvolcanoes“；ofplague-strickenmenandwomenindeliriumwanderingnakedthroughthestreets；ofchurchesandshrinesthrongedwithgreatcrowdsshriekingformercy；ofothercrowdsflingingthemselvesintothewildestdebauchery；ofrobberbandsassassinatingthedyingandplunderingthedead；ofthreethousandneglectedchildrencollectedinonehospitalandthenlefttodie；andofthedeath-rollnumberingatlastfiftythousandoutofapopulationoflessthanninetythousand。
　　Inthemidstofthesefearfulscenesstoodabodyofmenandwomenworthytobeheldineternalhonour——thephysiciansfromParisandMontpellier；themayorofthecity，andoneortwoofhisassociates；but，aboveall，theChevalierRozeandBishopBelzunce。Thehistoryofthesemenmaywellmakeusgloryinhumannature；butinallthisnoblegroupthefigureofBelzunceisthemoststriking。Noblyandfirmly，whensomanyothersevenamongtheregularandsecularecclesiasticsfled，hestoodbyhisflock：dayandnighthewasatworkinthehospitals，cheeringtheliving，comfortingthedying，anddoingwhatwaspossibleforthedecentdisposalofthedead。Inhimwereunitedthe，twogreatantagonisticcurrentsofreligionandoftheology。Asatheologianheorganizedprocessionsandexpiatoryservices，which，itmustbeconfessed，ratherincreasedthediseasethandiminishedit；moreover，heacceptedthatwilddreamofahystericalnun——theworshipofthematerial，physicalsacredheartofJesus——andwasoneofthefirsttoconsecratehisdiocesetoit；but，ontheotherhand，thereligiousspiritgaveinhimoneofitsmostbeautifulmanifestationsinthatoranyothercentury；justlyhavethepeopleofMarseillesplacedhisstatueinthemidstoftheircityinanattitudeofprayerandblessing。
　　IneverypartofEuropeandAmerica，downtoarecentperiod，wefindpestilencesresultingfromcarelessnessorsuperstitionstillcalled“inscrutableprovidences。”Aslateastheendoftheeighteenthcentury，whengreatepidemicsmadefearfulhavocinAustria，themainmeansagainstthemseemtohavebeengrovellingbeforetheimageofSt。Sebastianandcallinginspecial“witch-doctors“——thatis，monkswhocastoutdevils。Toseektheaidofphysicianswas，intheneighbourhoodofthesemonasticcentres，verygenerallyconsideredimpious，andtheenormousdeathrateinsuchneighbourhoodswasonlydiminishedinthepresentcentury，whenscientifichygienebegantomakeitsway。
　　TheoldviewofpestilencehadalsoitsfullcourseinCalvinisticScotland；theonlydifferencebeingthat，whileinRomanCatholiccountriesreliefwassoughtbyfetiches，gifts，processions，exorcisms，burningsofwitches，andotherworksofexpiation，promotedbypriests；inScotland，aftertheReformation，itwassoughtinfast-daysandexecutionsofwitchespromotedbyProtestantelders。AccountsofthefilthinessofScotchcitiesandvillages，downtoaperiodwellwithinthiscentury，seemmonstrous。Allthatinthesedaysissweptintothesewerswasinthoseallowedtoremainaroundthehousesorthrownintothestreets。Theoldtheologicaltheory，that“vainisthehelpofman。”checkedscientificthoughtandparalyzedsanitaryendeavour。Theresultwasnatural：betweenthethirteenthandseventeenthcenturiesthirtynotableepidemicssweptthecountry，andsomeofthemcarriedoffmultitudes；butasaruletheseneversuggestedsanitaryimprovement；theywerecalled“visitations。”attributedtoDivinewrathagainsthumansin，andtheworkoftheauthoritieswastoannouncetheparticularsinconcernedandtodeclaimagainstit。Amazingtheorieswerethuspropounded——theorieswhichledtospasmsofseverity；and，insomeofthese，offencesgenerallypunishedmuchlessseverelywerevisitedwithdeath。EverypulpitinterpretedthewaysofGodtomaninsuchseasonssoasrathertoincreasethantodiminishthepestilence。TheeffectofthusseekingsupernaturalcausesratherthannaturalmaybeseeninsuchfactsasthedeathbyplagueofonefourthofthewholepopulationofthecityofPerthinasingleyearofthefifteenthcentury，othertownssufferingsimilarlyboththenandafterward。
　　Hereandthere，physiciansmorewiselyinspiredendeavouredtopushsanitarymeasures，andin1585attemptsweremadetocleanthestreetsofEdinburgh；butthechroniclerstellusthat“themagistratesandministersgavenoheed。”Onesortofcalamity，indeed，cameinasamercy——thegreatfireswhichsweptthroughthecities，clearingandcleaningthem。ThoughthetowncouncilofEdinburghdeclaredthenotedfireof1700“afearfulrebukeofGod。”itwasobservedthat，afterithaddoneitswork，diseaseanddeathweregreatlydiminished。[337]
　　[337]FortheplagueatMarseillesanditsdepopulation，seeHenriMartin，HistoiredeFrance，vol。xv，especiallydocumentcitedinappendix；alsoGibbon，DeclineandFall，chap。xliii；
　　alsoRambaud。FortheresorttowitchdoctorsinAustriaagainstpestilence，downtotheendoftheeighteenthcentury，seeBiedermann，DeutschlandimAchtzehntenJahrhundert。FortheresorttoSt。Sebastian，seethewidespreadeditionsoftheVitaetGestaSanctiSebastiani，contrapestempatroni，prefacedwithcommendationsfrombishopsandotherhighecclesiastics。TheeditionintheCornellUniversityLibraryisthatofAugsburg，1693。ForthereignoffilthandpestilenceinScotland，seeCharlesRogers，D。D。，SocialLifeinScotland，Edinburgh，1884，vol。i，pp。305-316；seealsoBuckle’ssecondvolume。
　　III。THETRIUMPHOFSANITARYSCIENCE。
　　Butbythosestandinginthehigherplacesofthoughtsomeglimpsesofscientifictruthhadalreadybeenobtained，andattemptsatcompromisebetweentheologyandscienceinthisfieldbegantobemade，notonlybyecclesiastics，butfirstofall，asfarbackastheseventeenthcentury，byamanofscienceeminentbothforattainmentsandcharacter——RobertBoyle。Inspiredbythediscoveriesinotherfields，whichhadsweptawaysomuchoftheologicalthought，hecouldnolongerresisttheconvictionthatsomeepidemicsaredue——inhisownwords——“toatragicalconcourseofnaturalcauses“；buthearguedthatsomeofthesemaybetheresultofDivineinterpositionsprovokedbyhumansins。Astimewenton，greatdifficultiesshowedthemselvesinthewayofthiscompromise——difficultiestheologicalnotlessthandifficultiesscientific。ToaCatholicitwasmoreandmorehardtoexplainthetheologicalgroundswhysomanyorthodoxcities，firminthefaith，werepunished，andsomanyhereticalcitiesspared；andwhy，inregionsdevotedtotheChurch，thepoorerpeople，whosefaithintheologicalfeticheswasunquestioning，diedintimesofpestilencelikeflies，whilescepticssofrequentlyescaped。DifficultiesofthesamesortbesetdevotedProtestants；they，too，mightwellaskwhyitwasthatthedevoutpeasantryintheirhumblecottagesperished，whilesomuchlargeraproportionofthemorescepticalupperclasseswereuntouched。GraduallyitdawnedbothuponCatholicandProtestantcountriesthat，ifanysinbepunishedbypestilence，itisthesinoffilthiness；moreandmoreitbegantobeseenbythinkingmenofbothreligionsthatWesley’sgreatdictumstatedevenlessthanthetruth；thatnotonlywas“cleanlinessakintogodliness。”butthat，asameansofkeepingoffpestilence，itwasfarsuperiortogodlinessasgodlinesswasthengenerallyunderstood。[338]
　　[338]ForBoyle’sattemptatcompromise，seeDiscourseontheAir，inhisworks，vol。iv，pp。288，289，citedbyBuckle，vol。
　　i，pp。128，129，note。
　　Therecenthistoryofsanitationinallcivilizedcountriesshowstriumphswhichmightwellfilluswithwonder，didtherenotrisewithinusafargreaterwonderthattheyweresolongdelayed。
　　Amazingisittoseehowneartheworldhascomeagainandagaintodiscoveringthekeytothecauseandcureofpestilence。Itisnowamatterofthesimplestelementaryknowledgethatsomeoftheworstepidemicsareconveyedinwater。Butthisfactseemstohavebeendiscoveredmanytimesinhumanhistory。InthePeloponnesianwartheAtheniansassertedthattheirenemieshadpoisonedtheircisterns；intheMiddleAgesthepeoplegenerallydeclaredthattheJewshadpoisonedtheirwells；andaslateasthecholeraof1832theParisianmobinsistedthatthewater-carrierswhodistributedwaterfordrinkingpurposesfromtheSeine，pollutedasitwasbysewage，hadpoisonedit，andinsomecasesmurderedthemonthischarge：sofardidthisfeelinggothatlockedcoversweresometimesplaceduponthewater-buckets。HadnotsuchmenasRogerBaconandhislonglineofsuccessorsbeenthwartedbytheologicalauthority，——hadnotsuchmenasThomasAquinas，VincentofBeauvais，andAlberttheGreatbeendrawnordrivenfromthepathsofscienceintothedark，tortuouspathsoftheology，leadingnowhither，——theworldto-day，attheendofthenineteenthcentury，wouldhavearrivedatthesolutionofgreatproblemsandtheenjoymentofgreatresultswhichwillonlybereachedattheendofthetwentiethcentury，andeveningenerationsmoreremote。Diseasesliketyphoidfever，influenzaandpulmonaryconsumption，scarletfever，diphtheria，pneumonia，andlagrippe，whichnowcarryoffsomanymostpreciouslives，wouldhavelongsinceceasedtoscourgetheworld。