THE 



EDINBURGH NEW 

 PHILOSOPHICAL JOURNAL 



Biographical Memoir of Baron de Beauvois.* By 

 Baron Cuvier. 



Ambroise Marie FRAN901S Joseph Palisot, Baron de 

 Beauvois, Member of the Academy of Sciences, of the lloyal 

 Institute of France, and of several other learned societies, is 

 among the number of those whose life proves to what extent the 

 assiduous study of nature is a more certain source of individual 

 happiness ; how many more probable chances it affords of being 

 useful to the public ; and how, when it leads to misfortunes, it 

 affords more resources to sustain one under them, than that 

 stormy career of business in which it is rare to see men so 

 energetic, or so favoured by fortune, as not to become the sport of 

 events, or never to have to reproach themselves with conduct of 

 a censurable nature. A learned botanist, a fortunate collector, 

 an author of approved works, he acquired without difficulty a 

 lasting name in the sciences ; the fatigues to which he exposed 

 himself in procuring some additions to the treasures of natural 

 history, never altered the peace of his mind. On the other 

 hand, as a magistrate, and a member of political assemblies, he 

 was, on the contrary, overwhelmed with persecutions and suf- 

 ferings, which must often have appeared so much the more 

 painful to him, that they did not always leave him the consola- 



• Read to the Royal Academy of Sciences on the 27th March 1820. 



This Memoir will be found interesting to those who take a part in the discus- 

 sions in regard to the Slave^Trade, and the moral condition of the Negro race. 

 OCTOBER DECEMBER 1828. A 



