6 Baron Cuvier's Historical Eloge of Baron Ramond. 



peace for more than a century, the great spent their time from 

 their infancy in effeminacy; and, never supposing that anything 

 would threaten their security, tliey had no other occupation 

 than that of varying their pleasures. Too often when they 

 had tasted of everything, the extraordinary and the marvellous 

 could alone rouse their exhausted spirits, and the first impostor 

 who held out to them hopes or new sensations was received 

 with enthusiasm. 



We know but too well to what extent the Cardinal de 

 B,<?>]ian allowed himself to be involved in such a snare. 

 .;,ff In 1781 the juggler Cagliostro arrives at Strasburg, pre- 

 ceded, accompanied, and followed by the poor whom he re- 

 lieved, the sick whom he attended gratuitously, and the be- 

 lievers whom he illuminated with supernatural lights.'' It is 

 in these terms that M. Ramond himself paints his arrival in 

 a memoir which we have now before us. " This noisy 

 cortege, adds he, celebrate him without ceasing; nobody 

 knows whence he came, who he is, from what source he de- 

 rives the wealth which he lavishes, and by what secret power 

 he wields so unlimited an empire over their minds. Every 

 one has his conjectures, advances assertions, and every thing is 

 more strange than another." The Cardinal wished to see him, 

 to entertain him, and, what is still more unaccountable, a 

 prince of the Church, a powerful lord, who had exercised the 

 highest functions of diplomacy, an academician, connected 

 with our most distinguished men, becomes, in some confer- 

 ences, the friend, the disciple, and the slave of the son of a 

 tavern-keeper of Palermo. He cannot even part with him, 

 and when his duties require a separation, he wishes to have 

 near him a faithful agent to keep up their communications, 

 and it is M. Ramond whom he desires to fill this situation. 

 Several times he sent him to him at Strasburg, Lyons, and 

 Basle. He wished even that he would assist the Sicilian in his 

 operations, and become a sort of assistant in his laboratory. 



Was it a natural deference to a master whom he loved that 

 induced M. Ramond to second the desires of the Cardinal ? 

 Was it the hope of penetrating into some of the secrets which 

 this singular man appeared to possess.'^ Was it even the idea 

 alone, excusable perhaps in so young man, that he would be 



