225 



splendid work which he published ahiiost immediately after his re- 

 turn. 



Michaux employed three years in this voyage. During the two 

 years following his return^ he was actively occupied in the publica- 

 tion of his great work, " Histoire des Arhres Forestiers dt VAme- 

 riqve du Nord,^^ so anxiously expected by those who took an inter- 

 est in the flora of the United States, and in the observations of one 

 so well versed in agricultural pursuits. This work, illustrated by 144 

 copper-plates, executed by the best artists of the day, was published, 

 the first volume, in 1810; the second, in 1812, and the third in 1813. 

 It was translated into English by Augustus L. Hillhouse, and publish- 

 ed in Paris in four volumes, under the title of North American Sylva^ 

 with the addition of several plates, and of new observations by the 

 Author. Mr. Maclure having purchased the plates in Paris, brought 

 them to this country, and to this circumstance is owing the publica- 

 tion of two American editions, which are likely soon to be followed 

 by a third. The first was published in New Harmony, Indiana, in 

 1842, and the second in Philadelphia, in 1852, with notes, by J. J. 

 Smith, Esq. 



Mr. Durand relates the circumstances of his acquaintance with Mr. 

 Michaux in 1824, and gives the following description of his person: 

 " He was rather tall, strongly built, but not corpulent; his complexion 

 was fair; he was slightly pock-marked and possessed prominent fea- 

 tures. His light blue eyes had a haggard expression, which startled 

 me at first, and was probably caused by the artificial eye to which, 1 

 am assured, he had resorted to disguise his infirmity. His counte- 

 nance was stern and cold on first approach, but it smoothed off and 

 brightened gradually as he spoke and became more familiar. His 

 utterance, in the beginning slow and cautious, became rapid and im- 

 pressive, and his conversation gay and even humorous. All his 

 manners were quite simple and unaficcted, frank and lively — they 

 were altogether those of a good country gentleman, in whose pre- 

 sence, young as I was at the time, I felt neither embarrassment nor 

 shyness." 



Since the appearance of his great work, Michaux has not ceased to 

 devote all his attention to his favourite pursuit — the cultivation and 

 propagation of trees, presenting a special object of public utility. In- 

 terested with the direction of the large model-plantation belonging to 

 the Central Society of Agriculture, and owning, himself, a country 



