STUDY IX. 203 



reft, lived in indigence themfelves, unknown to, 

 and difregarded by, their contemporaries. The 

 man of Science, like the torch, illuminates all 

 around him, and remains himfelf in obfcurity. 



I have attacked, then, neither the Learned, 

 whom I honour, nor the Sciences, which have 

 been my confolation through life ; but had time 

 permitted, I would have difputed every inch of 

 ground with our methods and our fyftems. They 

 have thrown us into fuch a variety of abfurd opi- 

 nions, in every branch of fcientific refearch, that, 

 I do not hefitate to affirm, our Libraries, at this 

 day, contain more of error than of information. 

 Nay, Î could venture to wager, that were you to 

 introduce a blind man * into the King's Library, 



and 



* The word in the original is, a ^inze-vingt. The Quinze- 

 vingt at Paris is a royal foundation of Saint Louis, for the relief 

 aï fifteen fcore^ that is, three hundred blind perfons : hence, in 

 the Parifian phrafe, any one, in general, afflidled with the want 

 of fight is denominated a Quinze- vingt. 



The King' S' Library is another eftablifhment, which reflefts 

 the higheft honour on the French Government. It was founded 

 by the famous Cardinal de Richlieu ; who, however, transferred 

 the credit of it to the Prince. The building is creeled in the 

 very centre of the Metropolis, and contains a moft magnificent 

 colleftion of books and manufcripts, in all languages, and rela- 

 tive to every art and fcience; of drawings, models, mathema- 

 îical ioftruments, &c. It is opened on certain days of the week, 



and 



