272 MEMOIR OF PYRAMUS DB CANDOLLE. 



but it was impossible to mistake the indications of an ingenuous char- 

 acter and of elegant tastes, which needed but suitable circumstances 

 for their development. 



The course of these peaceable studies was, however, soon to be 

 interrupted. In 1792 a French army occupied Savoy and approached 

 the gates of Geneva. The women and children were sent to seek an 

 asylum in the interior of Switzerland. In vain did the young De 

 Candolle entreat to be allowed to remain with his father and partake 

 in the defence of his country. His years were judged too immature, 

 and he was obliged to withdraw with his mother and a young brother. 

 A village at the foot of the Jura, near Lake Neufchatel, was the place 

 of their refuge. 



Here the charms of nature first touched and captivated him. 

 Flowers were at first gathered only to copy them; but he soon en- 

 gaged with ardor in forming a collection, and undertook long and 

 adventurous excursions for the discovery of new plants. Already 

 this future rival of the law-givers of botany, though he knew only 

 the vulgar names of plants, felt himself tormented by the necessity 

 of classifying them, and as he Avas without books, he classed them 

 according to their natural relations, as the mind is always prompted 

 to do when not spoiled by false systems. 



Some years after this period, a French mineralogist, distinguished 

 by his useful labors, and since still more celebrated for his illustrious 

 misfortunes, traversed the mountains of Switzerland. Dolomieu saw 

 the young De Candolle and was struck with his ardor for study. His 

 patronage was offered and accepted; and our Genevese, already secure 

 of his own powers by the trial which he had made of them in soli- 

 tude, came to seek in Paris at once masters and rivals. Here, from 

 the first, all the higher courses of instruction received his attention; 

 but, irresistibly attracted by botany, he gave a decided preference 

 to the garden of plants. 



On quitting Geneva he had promised his father to devote himself 

 also to the study of medicine. He tried to do so, but in vain. The 

 sight of the sick plunged him into profound sadness. He could not 

 bear the idea, which is, in truth, a formidable one, of taking upon 

 himself the responsibility of their sufferings. His was a daring intel- 

 lect, but a sensitive heart, and he longed for pursuits in which he 

 might err without dread. Thus when, in after times, he happened to 

 fall into some error with respect to the name or classification of a 

 plant, he would say with a sort of satisfaction, "thanks to heaven, it 

 is only a plant which is wrongly named." 



Having renounced medicine, he thenceforward scarcely left the 

 garden. Day after day he might be seen engaged, from morning till 

 night, in observing or describing plants. All respected a youth whom 

 nothing as yet distinguished but industr}^, while the gardeners, seeing 

 him pass whole days on the same modest bench, came to designate 

 him from its situation as the young man a Varrosoir. 



Such perseverance did not escape M. Desfontaines, who, one day, 

 approaching him, said : " M. Redoute has made a collection of draw- 

 ings of succulent plants, and wants a botanist to describe them; 



