20 Biographical Memoir of Michel Adanson. 



tims to the rage of their executioners ; and the soft emotions 

 of those who, still young, and called for the first time to sit with 

 those whose genius they had long before been taught to revere, 

 learned also, by this melting spectacle, to become acquainted with 

 their heart. 



The restless eye of friendship, however, still sought for some 

 whom it had been accustomed to greet, and in this number was 

 Adanson. It was then only that the privations which caused his 

 absence were learned. His retreat at last disclosed itself to the 

 eager search of his companions. He received them with tears 

 of renewed affection. Astonished, perhaps, no less than affected 

 at our interest in his welfare, he no doubt regretted that in re- 

 nouncing the enjoyments of the world^ he had also comprised 

 those of the heart among his sacrifices. 



Science, my friends, requires not this : The futile praises of 

 vanity, the deceitful favours of fortune, these are what she im- 

 periously restrains us from pursuing ; and, without doubt, you 

 will not find her restrictions in this respect very grievous. Per- 

 haps she also requires us to sacrifice the little praises of the 

 world to true glory, of which society at large is rarely worthy 

 of being judge. But I do not hesitate to declare to you all, 

 that mutual intercourse and esteem only render more agreeable 

 the bonds which unite men of enlightened minds ; and that 

 friendship is the only enjoyment which this noble elite of huma- 

 nity will not renounce, even for the certainty of one day obtain- 

 ing honours such as these.'^ 



A just gratitude obliges us to add that, from the moment 

 when the Government was informed of M. Adanson's condition, 

 every succeeding minister made it a duty to shew, by his exam- 

 ple, that the state does not abandon the old age of those who 

 have devoted their life to the public good. Sovereign munifi- 

 cence itself did not disdain to soften his last moments. 



But all these benevolent cares were unable to arrest the ef- 

 fects of age, and those aggravated infirmities which pressed so 

 heavily upon him during the four last years of his hfe ; and if 

 we still had the pleasure of seeing M. Adanson occasionally at 

 our meetings, we had not that of seeing him take an active part 

 in our common labours. 



He supported his afflictions as he had supported his poverty. 



