THE TOWER OF KOAT-VEN. 357 



returned to his own thoughts, and sprang- with new ardour in pursuit 

 of the satellites and symbolic planets of Vishnu. 



Perceiving that his brother's attentions were no longer engaged 

 on this world, Sulpice tried to introduce the rebel arm of the philo- 

 sopher into the truant sleeve, but his attempts were fruitless ; the 

 sleeve still floated on the breeze like the jacket cuff of a hussar. 

 After a deep sigh he collected the scattered fragments of his dear 

 bowl, while Rumphius continued his walk, sometimes with slow and 

 solemn steps, at others hurrying on precipitately, and was soon lost 

 in the shadows of a dark alley which led into the recesses of the 

 solitude. 



Joseph Rumphius, a celebrated optician of Brest, was the father 

 of Sulpice and his learned brother. Having discovered -in the elder, 

 whom he preferred to Sulpice, great and precocious talent for the 

 study of abstract science, he had so far encouraged and developed 

 this power that his son became, on his return from Paris, where he had 

 been sent to perfect his education, a most distinguished astronomer 

 and mathematician. 



Sulpice, on the other hand, inferior to his brother in intellect, was 

 possessed of a most angelic sweetness of disposition, and, in spite of 

 the unjust treatment of his father, never for an instant neglected his 

 assiduous duty towards him. While in Brest he minded the shop, 

 and employed himself in the affairs of housekeeping ; and later, when 

 his.father retired from business to his little habitation at St. Renan, 

 Sulpice followed him thither, in spite of his cruel partiality for his 

 brother, and paid him the last and tenderest attention. On his father's 

 death Sulpice devoted himself with the same attachment and singleness 

 of affection to his brother as he had before done to his father's wants. 



Rumphius was professor of mathematics in the marine school at 

 Brest when Count Vaudrey was wishing to prepare his son for admis- 

 sion into the navy. Having heard of the celebrity of the astronomer, 

 the count proposed to him that he should leave public instruction and 

 devote himself to the education of his son Henry, promising for his 

 trouble an equivalent income, which would moreover enable him to 

 pursue his favourite studies without the loss of time which necessa- 

 rily accompanies a public chair. Rumphius accepted the task, and 

 soon prepared his scholar for his embarkation under the command of 

 M. de Suffren. 



Having concluded the education of his pupil, Rumphius came to 

 dwell in his little cottage at St. Renan, which he rarely quitted 

 except for the purpose of making a few meteorologic experiments 

 at the tower of Koat-ven. Sulpice appeared to have charged 

 himself with the business of supporting the material existence of Rum- 

 phius. He contrived by unwearying care to spare his brother even 

 the obligation of believing himself indebted to him, and his prompti- 

 tude and address were so great that they appeared a necessary part 

 of his nature. 



Rumphius had, notwithstanding, a peculiarity in the highest de- 

 gree distressing to Sulpice, and which caused him many bitter tears. 

 Absorbed continually in an infinity of calculations and hypotheses, he 

 often felt, after a day consecrated to profound researches and abstract 



M.M. No. 4. 2 D 



