Vita clarissimi viri D. Iosiae Simleri Tigurini, S. Theologiae in Schola Tigurina Professoris fidelissimi

continues from previous page: [they do not blush to] censure and slander his writing attempts and studies. However, it is deeply to be lamented that death, by arriving too soon, deprived both men of the ability to complete and bring to fruition the excellent projects and endeavors they had begun. But this happens most often, surely by the just judgment of God, who punishes an ungrateful world in this way, so that noble men of learning and piety are snatched away by premature death in the midst of the course of their most excellent studies, works, and efforts, so that we may truly exclaim with Cicero in this manner: O the fallacious hopes of men, and the fragile fortune, and our empty contentions, which are often broken and ruined in the middle of their path, and are overwhelmed before they could even sight the harbor. Thus, premature death also overwhelmed our Gesner in the midst of his course and endeavor, just as he was attempting to complete that magnificent work of his on the history of plants (compared to which his other works were, as it were, πάρεργα minor works/by-products), and soon to publish it to the world, so that he was forced to leave it begun and imperfect. To complete it, it would be much to be wished that our Caspar Wolf, the possessor of the Gesnerian library, by whose work the letters of that most learned man will come to light this year, be supplied with funds and resources by some magistrate or prince, similar to Alexander the Great. If such a person existed, he would not only consult the utility of the entire Christian world in the best way, but would also earn eternal praise and glory for himself. Furthermore, our Simler, to return to him, gathered for himself in a short time great glory and praise among many people everywhere, and a great abundance of friends, through these writings of his, which were full of learning and piety. For virtue is the one and effective reconciler of friends and friendships. Thus, our Simler flourished in the friendship of many most famous men, not only of his own countrymen but also of foreigners, with whom he had very frequent conversations of letters, surely for the sake of protecting and increasing their friendship.

Now, finally, if I add a few things about his private and domestic life, his physical condition, his manners and character, and lastly his death, I will end my writing. To begin with his marriage, he enjoyed a happy and honorable one, whether you look at the wives he had, or his fathers-in-law, or his children. His first wife was Elisabetha, daughter of Bullinger of pious memory, a chaste and well-mannered woman, whom he married on September 28, 1551. She departed from here without offspring on November 20, in the year of salvation 1565, when the plague was spreading among us. The latter