TRANSACTIONS 



OF THE 



MARYLAND ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



AND LITERATURE. 



CLASS OF THE SCIENCES. 



ARTICLE I. 



Biographical notice of L. H. Girardin, LL. D. first Presi- 

 dent of the Maryland Academy of Science and Literature. 



Louis Francois Picot, born in 1771, near Dreux, in the 

 former province of Normandy, France, was educated at the 

 Lyceum of Rouen. He is represented to have been, even at a 

 very early age remarkal)ly fond of books, and was afterwards 

 noticed for his assiduous apphcation to study. He has been 

 heard to say himself, on those occasions when self-praise is 

 not to be suspected, that he was considered by his teachers, 

 who were pleased to encourage him by this avowal, as the best 

 Latin scholar and poet of his class. On leaving the Lyceum 

 he repaired to Paris at the invitation of M. Philippon de la 

 Madeleine, by whom he was liberally patronized. There he 

 became acquainted with most of the literary personages of the 

 day, particularly with the celebrated author of Paul and Vir- 

 ginia, and with the Abbe Barthelemy, the equally renowned 

 author of the Travels of Anacharsis. To the former, young 

 Picot dedicated his first otfering to the Muses, which, together 

 with a translation in verse of Goldsmith's Deserted Village, 

 was published, at the request of Bernardin de St. Pierre, by 

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