265 
for I saw no such thing. The societies of this 
country are exactly what you describe; there is a 
president it is true, and members as in our societies 
in England; but in the French societies the mem- 
bers seem to have no regard to order, and the 
power of the president seems to extend no further 
than to the enforcing a momentary silence by mak- 
ing a more distinct noise than the members by means 
of a little mwszca/ instrument. But the great excel- 
lence of our societies in England consists in the 
exact limits drawn and observed between private and 
public business. How am [I interested as a visitor 
about the votes of Mr. Fourcroy or Mr. Thouin, 
about this or that committee ? yet half the time of 
sitting is thus spent in demanding opinions and 
appointing committees on private affairs. There 
was a communication from Gerard of Cottignac 
upon Lathyrus amphicarpos, read by Desfontaines 
at the Academy ; but the noise and confusion was 
so great, that I could not understand whether it 
contained any thing more than the simple relation 
of its extraordinary fructification. 
I am glad to hear of your botanical success, and 
of your ardour in the pursuit of natural history, 
which the Durazzo family still support. 
I propose to leave this place in two weeks more. 
What I regret, after you, is that I must bid a last 
adieu to my very good friends, the amiable family 
of Mr. De Lessert at Passy. With them I am as 
happy as if at home. You mus¢ know them. I have 
often spoke to them concerning you. Your own 
name and mine will I trust be sufficient introduc- 
