104 Biographical Memoirs of Peter Francis Bernier. 



\^as received with universal approbation. To avoid being 

 a burthen to his parents, he engaged himscll:' with an attor- 

 ney; but a decided attachmeni: lo the mathematics induced 

 him to employ the whole of his leisure on the study of them, 

 and to expend all the money he earned in the purchase of 

 mathematical books. Ht learned also the Italian, and the 

 art of stenography. Fortunately he found in Due la Cba- 

 pclle of Montauban a distinguished patron, who was able lo 

 assist him both by his talents and property. The Abridg- 

 ment of Lalande's Astronomy, which he obtained from this 

 frit-nd, caused in his mind such a taste for astronomy that 

 Due la Chapelle gave him admission to his library and 

 observatory. Nothing more was wanting to make him 

 devote himself entirely to that science. In a short time he 

 made himself acquainted with astronomical calculations ; 

 and, after a little practice at the observatory. Due la Cha- 

 pelle found his observations so accurate that he intrust- 

 ed him with the use of his best instruments. On the 26th 

 of April 1797 he transmitted to Lalande the result of his 

 first observations and calculations, some of which were 

 published in the Connoissance des Terns for the year 1 ] . 

 As the confined state of his finances, however, did not per- 

 mit him to bestow his whole time on astronomy, and as his 

 parents founded all the hopes of their declining years on his 

 talents and affection, he resolved to offer himself as a can- 

 didate for the polytechnic school. For this purpose he 

 repaired, at the appointed time, to Toulouse, and was exa- 

 mined by Monge on the l6th of October 1797. Soon after 

 I.alande invited him to Paris, where he arrived on the 31st 

 of January 1800, and now became a complete votary of 

 astronomy, so that Lalande hoped to obtain him as anew 

 nssistant. The preparations then making, however, for a 

 voyage of discovery presented to his desire of distinguishing 

 and making himself known so captivating a field, that, with 

 the concurrence of his parents, he resolved to take advantage 

 of it. On the 22d of September he proceeded to Havre, 

 and on the igth of October the expedition sailed. During 

 the first days after being at sea, M. Bernier was exceedingly 

 sick ; but in a letter, dated from Teneriffe on the 2d of 

 November, he announced that he no longer felt any incon- 

 venience from the motion of the ship. When he arrived at 

 Timor, he sent home a second letter, dated October 14th, 

 ISOl. He had already accustomed himself so much to 

 observing on ooard ship, that he was certain of the longitude 

 to ten minutes ; and after a stay of three weeks on that 

 islajidj he was able to determine it within nearly a minute. 



He 



