the same time serve to show better than
anything else, how {100} utterly unfounded is the opinion that there
was opposition between religion, or theology and science, and above
all medical science, at this time. On the other hand, it will
demonstrate that the educational factors at work in Vesalius's time
were not different from those of the preceding century, nor indeed
from those that had existed for two or three centuries before his
time; and though his magnificent original research introduced the new
initiative which always comes after a genius has left his mark upon a
scientific department, the spirit in which science was pursued after
his time did not differ essentially from that which had prevailed
before. He represents not a revolution in medical science, as has so
often been said, though always with the purpose of demonstrating how
much the so-called reformation accomplished in bringing about this
great progress in anatomy, but only a striking epoch in that gradual
evolution which had already advanced so far that his work was rendered
easy and some such climax of progress as came in his time was
inevitable.

Vesalius's earlier education was received entirely in his native town
of Louvain. There were certain preparatory schools in connection with
the university at Louvain, and to one of these, called Paedagogium
Castri because of the sign over the door, which was that of a fort,
Vesalius was sent. Here he learned Latin and Greek and some Hebrew.
How well he learned his Latin can be realized from the fact that at
twenty-two he was ready to lecture in that language on anatomy in
Italy. His knowledge of Greek can be estimated from the tradition that
he could translate Galen at sight, and he was known to have corrected
a number of errors in translations from that author made by preceding
{101} translators. To those who know the traditions of that time in
the teaching of the classic languages along the Rhine and in the Low
Countries, these accomplishments of Vesalius will not be surprising.
They knew how to teach in those pre-reformation days, and probably
Latin and Greek have never been better taught than by the Brethren of
the Common Life, whose schools for nearly a hundred years had been
open in the Low Countries and Rhenish Germany for the children of all
classes, but especially of the poor. Other schools in the same region
could scarcely fail to be uplifted by such educational traditions.
Altogether, Vesalius s