Who is Doctor Marinus in the novel, The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet?

Dr. Marinus is a cantankerous, obstinate, yet brilliant physician who lives on the island of Dejima. He attends locals, Europeans, and teaches the art of modern Western medicine to a class of four pupils. He and Jacob strike up a friendship, and Marinus remains loyal to Jacob through the incursion of the British Royal Navy ship, Phoebus. Marinus dies a few years later, and is buried on mainland Japan in a foreigners cemetery. His funeral is attended by Orito and Jacob.