438 
ployed in 1757 as apothecary in 
the hospitals of the army of Ha- 
nover. The late M. Bayen, one 
of the most distinguished members 
whom that Class ever possessed, 
presided then over that part of the 
Science. It is well known that he 
was no less estimable for the ele- 
vation of his character than for his 
talents. He observed the dispo- 
sitions and the regular conduct of 
young Parmentier, contracted an 
acquaintance with him, and intro- 
duced him to M. Chamousset, In- 
tendant General of the Hospitals, 
rendered so celebrated by his ac- 
tive benevolence, and to whomParis 
and France are indebted for so 
many useful establishments. 
It was in the conversation of 
these two excellent men that M. 
Parmentier imbibed the notions 
and sentiments which produced 
afterwards all his labours. He 
learned two things equally un- 
known to those, whose duty it was 
to have been acquainted with them: 
the extent and variety of misery 
from which it would be possible to 
free the common people, if we 
were seriously to occupy ourselves 
with their happiness : and the 
number and power of the resources 
which nature would offer against 
so many scourges, if we were at 
the trouble to extend and encou- 
rage the study of them. 
Chemical knowledge, which ori- 
ginated in Germany, was at that 
time more general in that country 
than in France. More applica- 
tions of it had been made. The 
many petty sovereigns who di- 
vided that country had paid par- 
ticular attention to the ameliora- 
tion of their dominions; and the 
chemist, the agriculturist, the 
friend of useful arts, met equally 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
with faets before unknown to 
them. 
M. Parmentier, stimulated by 
his virtuous masters, took advan- 
tage of these sources of instruction 
with ardour. When his service 
brought him to any town, he vi- 
sited the manufactures least known 
in France; -he requested of the 
apothecaries leave to work in their 
laboratories. In the country he 
observed the practice of the far- 
mer. He noted down the inter- 
esting objects which struck him in 
his marches along with the troops. 
Nor did he want opportunities of 
seeing all varieties of things: for 
he was five times taken prisoner, 
and transported to places whither 
his generals would not have car- 
ried him. He learned then by his 
own experience how far the hor- 
rors of need might go, a piece of 
information necessary, perhaps, to 
kindle in him in all its vigour that 
glowing fire of humanity which 
burnt in him during the whole of 
his long life. 
But before making use of the 
knowledge which he had acquired, 
and attempting to ameliorate the 
Jot of the common people, it was 
necessary to endeavour to render 
his own situation less precarious. 
He returned, then, at the peace 
of 1763, to the capital, and resumed 
in a more scientific manner the 
studies belonging to his art. The 
lectures of Nollet, Rouelle and 
d’ Antoine, and of Bernard de Jus- 
sieu, extended his ideas, and assist- 
ed him in arranging them. He 
obtained extensive and solid know~- 
ledge in all the physical sciences ; 
and the place of lower apothecary 
being vacant at the Invalides in 
1766, he obtained it, after an exa- 
mination obstinately disputed. roe 
is 
