6 Biographical Memoir of M. Diihamel. 



whose career has been long ; — the ideas and the language 

 adopted in the sciences during their youth again occur to us, 

 and we feel as if we^were engaged with some nation of antiquity. 

 Half a century has sufficed to metamorphose all ; and probably, 

 in the same period of time we also shall have become ancient to 

 the generation that will succeed us. These considerations teach 

 us never to forget the respectful gratitude which we owe to our 

 predecessors, and never, without examination, to reject the new 

 ideas which an ardent youth conceives, and which, if they are 

 just, will prevail in spite of all the efforts which the present age 

 may make to repress them. 



This much is certain ; the facts which MM. Jars and Du- 

 hamel collected are very numerous ; that at that period they 

 were almost entirely new to France ; and the perspicuity and 

 arrangement of their descriptions rendered them intelligible to 

 all who might give them a perusal. The work in which they 

 are embodied contributed essentially to that improvement in the 

 art of mining, the fabrication of iron, steel, and tinned iron, and 

 the digging for coal, which has of late years taken place in 

 France. Their work also led to the increase of establishments 

 devoted to the preparation and manufacture of these productions 

 of the mineral kingdom. 



It was not less honourable to the authors, that there prevail- 

 ed a constant friendship between them both during their long 

 researches, and when they were engaged in giving them to the 

 public. Their connexion exposed them to become jealous rivals, 

 but their character preserved them from that evil. Even abroad, 

 their conduct was uniformly regular and respectable. They 

 gained the friendship of several of the distinguished men whom 

 they visited, and more than once proposals were made to them 

 to accept of situations from the princes through whose countries 

 they passed. 



M. Duhamel especially, whose modesty formed a striking con- 

 trast to the generality of travellers from his own country, was 

 held in very great esteem. The Austrian Government wished 

 to attach him to their service, but he was called home, both by 

 the official situation which had been promised him, and by 

 another desire still dearer to his heart. Since his flight from the 

 attorney, he had not seen his father, and the idea of having left 



