Biographical Memoir of' M. Duhamel. 7 



traces of displeasure in the mind of the good old man weigh- 

 ed heavily on him. He hastened to implore his pardon. But 

 it was not the prodigal child returning, miserable and humiliat- 

 ed, to his paternal mansion : it was a man of education, respect- 

 able for his conduct, and who had probably opened a surer path 

 to fortune than that which he had been desired to follow. It 

 will easily be conceived that the father''s anger was appeased 

 beforehand. 



M. Duhamel the son, therefore, now expected to be in- 

 stalled in the functions for which he had been prepared by so 

 long a trial. He went in haste to Paris, and made inquiries 

 respecting the accomplishment of the preparations that had 

 been announced. But a total change had taken place in the 

 administration. A most unfortunate war had exhausted the 

 finances. M. de Seychelles, the enlightened minister who had 

 despatched the young people on their journey, had no longer the 

 direction of affairs. Three other ministers had succeeded him 

 in the short space of two years, without contributing any thing 

 to public credit or prosperity, and M. Silhouette, the one who 

 was then in office, had been more unfortunate than all the rest. 

 An eternal ridicule has been attached to his name from the 

 paltry dark likenesses at that time in vogue *, and which afford 

 in some measure an emblem of his operations. It Was not either 

 to him or to almost any of those who succeeded him, each for a 

 few months, still less to the Abb^ Terray, of formidable memory, 

 who governed the finances until the death of Louis XV., that 

 any thing could be proposed with a view to future prosperity^ 



M. Trudaine, therefore, gave up his intentions for the present, 

 and M. Duhamel remained without employment. He did not 

 murmur, however, nor did he endeavour to obtain by solicitations 

 what had been refused to his labours. As during all the rest of 

 his life, he remained quiet, and sought for resources in himself. 

 His leisure was occupied, and his existence supported by giving 

 advice to mining companies. He even wrought for individuals, 

 and, in 1764!, he entered into the service of a rich proprietor as 

 director of a great foundery, to which were joined several 

 forges. 



• Black profiles are termed silhouettes. 



