Memoir of M. D' Aubuisson de Voisins. 3 



M. D'Aubuisson at lirst turned his views to the study of 

 public law. He was destined for diplomacy, a department 

 in which the relations of his family would have aided his 

 progress, had not death suddenly carried off the ambassador 

 on whom he chiefly depended for support. Undoubtedly, the 

 aptitude of his mind, if that be sufficient, might have ensured 

 him success in this sphere ; the correctness of his views, the 

 justness and elevated tone of his ideas, would certainly have 

 made him equal to the highest interests ; but we may, never- 

 theless, here congratulate ourselves that his life was reserved 

 for the sciences ; it might have been more brilliant, it could 

 scarcely have been more useful. 



Having returned to his family, M. D'Aubuisson turned his 

 attention more particularly to the exact sciences, in the wish 

 to become an accomplished soldier ; he was admitted in 1789 

 as a candidate in the Royal Corps of Artillery. Soon after 

 that, the violent tempest of the French Revolution broke 

 forth : the emigration of a great number of our nobilit}^ 

 either voluntarily or by force, took place ; and this unfortu- 

 nate consequence of our civil commotions removed M. D'Au- 

 buisson also from his native land, and enrolled him among 

 the small army of officers assembled under the orders of the 

 Prince de Conde. He was still very young, and it forms no 

 part of our plan to discuss, or even to indicate, the part which 

 he may have taken in the transactions of this important era : 

 that it is the province of History alone to appreciate, when, 

 after subduing, by the influence of time, the passions and re- 

 collections which are still too vivid, it shall assign to each 

 the pi'oportion which rightly belonged to him, arising from 

 his education, social tendencies, and political religion. "What 

 we may at least affirm is this, that M. D'Aubuisson's moving 

 principle, at this period of his life, which had so decisive an 

 influence on his future prospects, was a virtue which is 

 always noble, in whatsoever circumstances it may be exer- 

 cised ; that is, enthusiasm. We may here only further re- 

 mark, that this exile of emigration proved, so to speak, 

 M. D'Aubuisson's scientific cradle ; it was here that he formed 

 the first taste for, and made the earliest applications of, the 

 studies which afterwai'ds formed the occupation of his whole? 



