t 35S 1 



LX. Biographical Account q/* Joseph de Beauchamp, 

 the AJlronomer. By De Lalande. 



J O SEP FT DE BEAUCHAMP was born at Vezoul on 

 the 29th of June 1752. In 1767 he entered into the order of 

 the Bernardins, of which his uncle Mirandeau had a regular 

 abbey. The latter having been appointed bifliop of Babylon 

 in 1774, deftined his nephew to participate with him in his 

 fun6tions, and fent for him to Paris that he might fit him- 

 felf for that purpofe by ftudying the Arabic, theology and 

 medals, of which the bifliop was exceedingly fond. Young 

 Beauchamp, who had a decided tafte for the fciences, attended 

 the College de France, and made a rapid progrefs. I feconded 

 his (urn for aftronomy by (bowing him how ufeful he could 

 be to us in Afia. In 1780 he made it his chief ftudy, and 

 was of great fervice to us. Soon after he fet out for the Eaft, 

 and on the 15th of September J781 arrived at Aleppo with 

 his uncle, who was not able to continue his journey. Young 

 Beauchamp, therefore, proceeded alone to Bagdad to dif- 

 charge the epifcopal fundtions. 



In 1781 I obtained from the minlfter of the marine in- 

 ftruments which I fent to him, and which he employed with 

 great advantage. An account of his journey from Aleppo to 

 Bagdad was publiflied in the Journal des Savans for 1784: 

 hisVofervations made at Bagdad, and fome notices refpeft- 

 ing the Turks and the Arabs, may be found in the fame 

 work *. In the month of January 1784 he fet out for Baf- 

 fora : a chart of the courfe of the Tigris and the Euphrates 

 from Diarbeker to the Perfian gulph, that is to fay, for an 

 extent of 300 leagues, which he conftru6led on tliat occafion, 

 is in mv polVefiion ; and I publiflied a fliort account of this 

 journey in the Journal dcs Savans for 1785 t. The different 

 volumes of this journal, as well as the Memoirs of the Aca- 

 demy, contain a great many obfervations made by Beau- 

 champ ; fuch as the paflage of Mercury over the fun's di(k. 

 May the 4th, 1786 J. 



I have alfo a map of the country round Babylon which he 

 conftrudlcd. He brought to the abbe Barthelemy drawings 

 of monuments, infcriptions, and medals, found at the antient 

 Babylon, as well as Arabic manufcripts. In his firft jour- 

 ney, having embarked on board a fmall Arabic veflel, it waa 



* Jottrna/ t/es Savans 17 "4, p. 31a and 470. 

 t I'oi the inonti) of May, p. 246 and JS5. 



♦ Journal di-i S.tvam 17S7, p. 361. For an account of the cflablifh- 

 |ncn» of hi'' obfervnTiry frc p. 301 anil 498. 



Vol. XII. No. 48, Z overtaken 



