346 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 



my conversation with him. His first knowledge of plants 

 was obtained from a work which fell into his hands contain- 

 ing descriptions of 200 species, useful as remedies for diseases 

 of cattle. He made himself acquainted with all of these 

 within his reach, and turned his knowledge to practical 

 account in administering to his own flocks and herds as well 

 as to those of his neighbours, by which he acquired consider- 

 able reputation as a veterinarian. But he was soon not 

 satisfied with this extent of knowledge and the thought was 

 continually recurring to his mind, " I see around me hun- 

 dreds of plants, which, if they do not possess the same sana- 

 tive or deleterious properties as the others, are at least 

 equally beautiful ; why not study them also V He at length 

 determined to gratify his curiosity, and procured a copy oi 

 the Species Plantarum, of Linnaeus ; this, however, he found 

 to be written in Latin, a language of which he knew not one 

 word. Still, he was not discouraged ; and happening to visit 

 Pau, he found there a Latin dictionary on a booksellers 

 stall, which he purchased for the sum of nine sous ! With 

 no other aid than this, he set to work to teach himself Latin, 

 and soon acquired a sufficient acquaintance with it to enable 

 him to read Linnseus. He has now been for twenty years 

 engaged in the study of botany, his researches being confined 

 entirely to his own valley, in which he enumerates 1800 

 species of flowering plants. To his botanical pursuits he has 

 superadded those of entomology, geology, meteorology, paint- 

 ing, &c. ; but this diffusion of study is much to be regretted, 

 as it effectually prevents him from becoming savant in any 

 one subject, and I could hardly style him with the amiable 

 Desmoulins, " Cet homrne de genie qui, conime les bergers 

 Chaldeens se firent astronomes, s'est fait seul, en gardant ses 

 brebis, botaniste, peintre, musicien r? During the season of 

 the " Eaux," his time is entirely taken up by visitors from the 

 Eaux-Bonnes and Eaux-Chaudes, where he is looked on as a 

 lion which no one should go away without seeing. This also 

 is injurious to him in preventing the severe daily application 

 which is absolutely necessary to render any one skilful, and 



