MEMOIR OF LOUIS-CLA.UDE-MARIE RICHARD. 429 



Richard was a miser over his time, and disliked the dis- 

 turbance of visitors. To obtain a favourable reception at his 

 hands the stranger must show a desire for instruction. His 

 own employment forming his greatest pleasure, he ever re- 

 gretted the interruptions which his public functions entailed, 

 and when obliged to leave his cabinet and plants on a fine 

 sunny day, he would cry out with regret, " here is another 

 day lost for my analysis !" 



It was neither for fame nor fortune that this keen natural- 

 ist laboured so hard; he loved science for her own sake; his 

 sole object was, to make himself thoroughly acquainted with 

 the organization of plants, to determine their affinities, and 

 to detect some new fact in anatomy or vegetable physiology. 

 Notwithstanding the difficulty which he experienced in bring- 

 ing up his numerous family, Richard always scornfully re- 

 jected the offers that were made him to engage in lucrative 

 undertakings ; he chose to devote his attention wholly to 

 analysis. He could not, however, always preserve the com- 

 posure which this reflective study demands; for, irritated by 

 some attacks which were levelled at his writings, he unfor- 

 tunately allowed himself to reply in a spirit of animosity which 

 excited new censures of a most unpleasant nature. These 

 discussions, however trying to his spirit, were followed by 

 useful results, as they cleared up some difficult questions, and 

 gave rise to the publication of several excellent memoirs. 



In 1818, the personal sufferings, which Richard had long 

 endured with fortitude and resignation, became more and 

 more severe, and he was thenceforward compelled to give up 

 any consecutive and protracted labour. An obstruction of 

 the bowels threatened his life; but while the affectionate 

 attentions of his family, and the skill of the physician, availed 

 to moderate his pains, and to protract his existence, they 

 could not restore him to health. During two years, he per- 

 severed in devoting the intervals of ease' to pursuing his ob- 

 servations; and, but a few days before' his decease, he re- 

 minded his son to water some little plants which he still 



