^ Life of M. Le Roy. 



The general eagerness to obtain watches of his invention 

 soon became so great, that the watch-makers of Geneva en- 

 graved his name,^ instead of those of Tompion and Graham, 

 on the common watche* made at that place *. 



It was not among foreigners only that he enjoyed so flat- 

 tering a consideiation. In his own country he was distin- 

 guished as he merited. He obtained in 1739 apartments in 

 the galleries of the Louvre, and the title of clock- and watch- 

 maker to the king. Cardinal Fleury, when he sent him 

 this title, told him that his majesty, pleased with his services, 

 might hereatter add to this favour by granting him a pen- 

 sion. Our artist, however, thought that a sovereign, like 

 the father of a family, could not settle one of his children 

 above the level of the rest, without altering in some degree 

 the patrimony of the others ; and therefore, that the wishes 

 of an honest man and a true patriot ought to be satisfied 

 when he has obtained some mark of esteem and benevolence 

 from his sovereign. 



*« If this celebrated artist," adds his son, ** has enriched 

 clock- and watch-work so much by his discoveries and work- 

 manship, his generous conduct to those who, under his 

 direction, cultivated this art, has not less contributed to its 

 perfection. I appeal to all those who were acquainted with 

 him, to prove the truth of this assertion. Never was any man 

 more accessible, more communicative, or more prodigal of 

 his knowledge. Has he not taken as much pains to place 

 his work before the eyes of the gentlemen of the art, as the 

 English took at first to hide theirs ? What artist is igno- 

 rant of the trouble which he gave himself to expose new in- 

 ventions, when they were as rarely known as they are now 

 common? Who does not know that he sacrificed a part of 

 his fortune ? that he did not confine himself merely to the 

 encouraging of ihem by his example, but that he even added 



♦ I met with the following anecdote lately in a French work : 



Voltaire called one day on Pierre Le Roy the son, and the conversation 



happened to turn upon the father's improvements in watch- and clock-work. 



After Le Roy had expatiated on them for some time, Voltaire replied," Yes, 



yes, my friend, marshal Saxe and your father have beat the English " — T. S.E. 



recompenses^ 



