MEMOIR OF LOUIS-CLAUDE-MARIE RICHARD. 425 



here his talent for drawing became useful; for, by much assi- 

 duity and persevering efforts, he threw himself in the way of 

 some architects, who allowed him to copy some of their 

 plans, and as he performed the work intrusted to him with 

 diligence and ability, he was quickly employed again in the 

 same way, and obtained sufficient money to supply all his 

 wants. Thus he was enabled to devote himself without 

 scruple to his favourite studies. Botany, Comparative Ana- 

 tomy, Zoology and Mineralogy, alike excited his curiosity, 

 and engrossed his attention during the greater part of the 

 day, while the night was devoted to his more gainful pursuits, 

 which now flowed in very quickly, am] paid him exceedingly 

 well. He soon became eager to make plans himself, instead 

 of confining himself to copying those of others, and the fine 

 warden of Straas at Auteuiel was executed from his desifjns. 

 Still engrossed with his travelling projects, he availed himself 

 of several concurring favourable circumstances, to obtain, by 

 strict economy, the means of realizing them; and we have 

 been assured, that on his departure for America, he had 

 amassed a considerable sum. 



While Louis Richard was still very young, he had pre- 

 sented to the Academy of Sciences some memoirs which had 

 attracted the notice of Bernard de Jussieu, and this truly 

 great botanist treated the youth with much kindness, and 

 gave him the valuable privilege of consulting his library and 

 his rich collections. 



The subject of our young Naturalist's ardent aspirations 

 and earliest desires was finally realized in 1781. The Aca- 

 demy of Sciences nominated him to Louis XVL, as the indi- 

 vidual who should make an expedition to French Guiana 

 and the Antilles; and this monarch, who had known him 

 when very young, approved the choice of the Academy? i^nd 

 promised, not only to reimburse him when he should return, 

 for all the expenses of his journey, but to recompense him 

 also with a pension and a post congenial to his tastes. 



Richard, who had long nursed a project for undertaking a 

 voyage to very distant lands, had been fitting himself for it 



Vol. IV.— No. 32. 3h 



