+ 
366 ~=———s« Biographical Notice of Haiiy. 
broken from the group, presented the appearance of a new 
ae regularly formed crystal, with srooth s surfaces. Haiiy 
discovered with surprise that this form was precisely that 
of rhomboidal erystals of Iceland spar. © The mystery 1s 
“explained, ” cried he. In faci, his whole theory of erys- 
tallography, a monument as imperishable as the truths of 
geometry, is founded on this observation; but because this 
discovery was altogether geometrical, it was necessary that 
it should be explained and. Sage through the medium of 
geometry. Hai felt on this occasion also, that his studies 
had been imperfect. But h es me discouraged. e 
perceived what he stood in need of in order to continue his 
researches upon the structure of crystals; invented a meth- 
ed of measuring and describing them, and pot till then did 
he venture to speak of his discoveries to his master, to 
whose lessons he had modestly and silently attended. It 
may readily be conceived that Daubenton was eager to ac- 
Fos Sapa to make known such valuable labours. M. de 
: 1 them, hastened to en- 
coun the author to bring them before the Academy of 
Sciences, But it was not easy to induce the modest Haiiy 
toleave his happy obscurity to shew himself at the house 
where the Academy held its sittings, and in the midst of 
this society of distinguished men. He yielded, however, 
to the solicitation, and went to the house as to an ecclesi- 
astical ceremony, clothed with the costume prescribed by 
t ns. It was found necessary to have recourse to the 
ps of a doctor of the Sorbonne, to persuade him that 
might, with a safe conscience, wear the same garb as the 
lesiastics of that day. It is probable, however, 
dress he might have chosen to appearin. On the 12th of 
F ebruary , 1783, he was admitted as an adjunct in the class 
of Botany. 
_ While Haiiy was pursuing these peaceful labours, the 
olution burst upon the nation. The Bastile was de- 
ed, and the monarchy soon aft ared the same fate: 
this did not dis’ 
she 
clesintical constitution "prescribed at that period, he 
deprived of perquisites, and found himself as pe 
