10 Memoir of M. D' Aubuisson de Voisins. 



abandoning it, he made a refutation, in a report presented to 

 the Institute in 1804, of his own opinions. " And we wit- 

 nessed (to borrow the expression of an individual of much 

 intelligence, who has devoted some pages to the memory of 

 M. D'Aubuisson, his relation) ; we witnessed a philosopher, 

 truly worthy of the name, employing all the resources of his 

 mind to demonstrate that he had been mistaken."* It was 

 an interesting incident. He told me that some academicians 

 never forgave him. 



I cannot here refrain from paying a just tribute to "Werner, 

 and the principles of his school. Beyond the views he enter- 

 tained, so beautiful and fruitful in results, respecting the suc- 

 cession of formations, and metallic veins, Werner professed 

 certain systematic ideas now generally abandoned, and which 

 will probably never again be revived in science ; but Werner 

 had seen at least that the body of doctrines called Geognosy, 

 that is to say, knowledge of the earth, has its principle in 

 observation ; he had, therefore, taught his pupils to observe 

 and listen to the language of facts ; he had given them a taste 

 for facts. In a word, he formed great observers ; and it is in 

 this respect particularly that he has deserved so well of 

 science and of posterity ; for, according to this method, error 

 can only last for a time, and truth, sooner or later, is brought 

 to light. By this method, every thing resulting from the 

 exertions of honest minds contributes to the study of nature ; 

 since neither the resistance they encounter to-day, nor the 

 changes which the general progress of ideas will induce to- 

 morrov/, have the power of discouraging them. The inevitable 

 errors which may still accompany this labour of the mind, 

 founded on observation, can only be ephemeral in their effects ; 

 what is true remains, and will form a point of departure 

 for others, sometimes more highly gifted, but not on that ac- 

 count alone more deserving. 



In consideration of his remarkable works, M. D'Aubuisson 

 at last obtained a situation at Paris, a small recompense for 

 his merits, but which at least permitted him to devote him- 

 self more freely to the cultivation of the sciences in which 



* Eloge pronounced to the Academy dcs jetix floraux, by M. Le Vicomte de 

 Panat. 



