13 Martins on the Life and Labours of DeCandoUe. 



jects of his own favom-ite science. His friend^ the first Syndicus, 

 Rigaud, who honoured his memory by a discom'se on occasion of 

 the induction of the lately elected deputies^ mentioned two such 

 labours ; one relating to a project for a committee for procuring 

 provisions for the city {comite des suhsistances) of the year 1820, 

 and another two years later, on the project for reprisals against 

 France in relation to their exports and imports, which had for 

 its object the rejection of the project. Mr. Rigaud remarks on 

 this subject, ^^The first report was an excellent work, which 

 touched on the most important questions of national oeconomy. 

 It introduced also just ideas on the question of provision for the 

 people by other means than by the government, at a period when 

 the remembrance of a recent time of scarcity had fixed many pre- 

 judices even in the minds of enlightened men. DeCandoUe ex- 

 erted himself to present the doctrines of political oeconomy in an 

 intelligible manner, just as he tried to clothe every other species 

 of knowledge in a popular dress. As early as the year 1817 he 

 had published a treatise for the instruction of the public, on oc- 

 casion of a disturbance among the people arising from the dear- 

 ness of potatoes. In his report upon the project of introducing 

 restrictions on the trade with France by way of retaliation, he de- 

 veloped the principles of true freedom of trade in his peculiarly 

 lucid manner. His influence in the representative council was 

 great. It was grounded on a high opinion of his character, as 

 well as of his extraordinary talents, and on an eloquence which 

 expressed his inward convictions with the fire of sudden inspira- 

 tion. As a citizen and member of the council, DeCandolle pur- 

 sued steadily but one object ; that of bringing opinions into har- 

 mony, — of always drawing more closely the bonds of unity among 

 the citizens of Geneva. He exerted himself to convince his nu- 

 merous friends, often of difi'erent political parties, that extreme 

 opinions could not find room in a small republic, and that 

 reciprocal sacrifices were often required for the good of the 

 country.^' 



It may perhaps, gentlemen, appear at first sight irrelevant to 

 the present occasion, to enter so much into detail respecting De- 

 CandoUe^s influence as a citizen and magistrate ; yet I find my- 

 self called upon to do so on many accounts. In the first place, 

 we thus learn to appreciate the whole power of a mind, which 

 could combine with an almost inconceivable productiveness in its 

 own science so great a power for quite different affairs. We may 

 also obtain additional points of comparison, which may place both 

 aspects of DeCandoUe's character in a peculiar light. This warm 

 devotion to his republican country, this self-sacrificing attachment 

 to its interests, is a trait in which he resembles the sages and phi- 

 losophers of classic antiquity. As Aristotle found time, in the 



