208 Biographical Memoir of M. Hatty. 



St Antoine. " This post," he afterwards ingenuously said, " was 

 at least so far agreeable, that I had not to conceal my talent for 

 music in it ;"" and in fact, always faithful to his early predilec- 

 tions, he became a good musician, and acquired considerable 

 proficiency on the violin and harpsichord, two instruments with 

 which he always amused himself. At length, the influence of 

 his protectors at St Just procured a bursary for him in the Col- 

 lege of Navarre ; and it was only then that he was enabled to 

 find leisure for his classical studies. 



His good conduct and application excited towards him at 

 NavaiTe the same interest as at St Just, and, at the period when 

 he ceased to be a scholar there, the heads of the establishment 

 proposed to him to become a fellow-teacher. He was employed 

 as maitre de quartier ; and, as soon as he had taken his degrees, 

 the teaching of the fourth class was confided to him, when he 

 was as yet only twenty-one years of age. Some years after,, 

 he went to the College of the Cardinal Lemoine, as teacher of 

 the second class ; and to these useful, but humble ofl^ices, he 

 seemed to have confined his ambition. In reality, he had ac- 

 quired at Navarre, under the late M. Brisson of that academy, 

 a taste for experiments in physics, and at his leisure moments 

 he made some on electricity. But this was more a relaxation 

 than a study. As to natural history, properly so called, he had 

 no knowledge of it, and felt no inclination to engage in its 

 study. 



Another remarkable circumstance in his history is, that it 

 was to the affectionate dispositions of his heart that he was again 

 indebted for entering upon a career which became so glorious 

 to him ; so that it is literally true, that, during his whole career^ 

 his renown and his good fortune were rewards of his yirtue. 



Among the Regents of the Cardinal Lemoine, there was at 

 that time one of the name of Lhomond, a learned man, who, 

 from a feeling of piety, had devoted himself to the instruction 

 of youth. Although very capable, as to writing and speaking, 

 for teaching all the classes, he would not rise above the sixth, 

 and only composed little works for children, but which, from 

 their clearness, and the tone of simplicity which pervades them^ 

 have obtained more success than many works of greater preten- 

 sions. A great conformity of character and sentiments induced 



