ON A. LAUKENT DE JLSSIHU. 51 



Bernard passed most of his lime in thought, and liabitually 

 meditated in a sitting posture. The uncle and nephew spent 

 the day at work in the same apartment without speaking to 

 one another ; but in the evening, the young man read what 

 lie had written to his uncle, who in his turn communicated to 

 him his views and reflections. 



It is easy to perceive that the impressions derived from a 

 man of this stamp, must have influenced the character of the 

 youthful Jussieu, as much as they did his pursuits. Hence 

 arose a similar simplicity of habits, constancy at work, and 

 perseverance in following out any great and leading idea; 

 never were two men apparently so made to merge into one, 

 and to prolong the same existence, as if they formed in fact 

 only two ages or successive phases of one and the self-same 

 life. After five years spent with his uncle in active study 

 and intimate converse, the young Laurent, though but 

 twenty-two years old, was already a Doctor of Medicine, and 

 LeMonnier's Assistant in the botanical chair at the Jardin des 

 Plantes. To Bernard he constantly referred, consulted him 

 in every difficulty, applied to him under all his doubts, often 

 as much stimulated by filial affection as by scientific curiosity. 

 For after the death of Antoine, his brother Bernard had sunk 

 into deep dejection, and at length lost his eye-sight. Nothing, 

 perhaps, would have sufficed to render life tolerable to the 

 old man, but the ingenious schemes by which the youth 

 continually managed to rouse his mind, in suggesting subjects 

 ot inquiry alike striking and difficult. 



In 1773, a place became vacant at the Academy, and 

 Bernard persuaded his nephew to offer himself to fill it ; but 

 the latter had as yet published nothing. A memoir must 

 therefore be prepared, and for the subject of his first labours, 

 Laurent chose the Examination of the Family of Ranunculacea. 

 The subject mattered little, for whatever this might be, it 

 afforded an opportunity that made him feel his strength, and 

 display his striking ideas, and he accordingly followed out 

 an(l remodelled his uncle's views, impressing them with the 



