Life of De Saujfure. 101 



acllvlty ; and after that accident he revifed the two laft vo- 

 himes of his Travels, which appeared in 179^- They con- 

 tain an account of his excurfions to the mountains of Pied- 

 mont and Swiflerland, and in particular of his journey to the 

 fummit of Mont-Blanc. Thefe volumes, inftead of exhibit- 

 ing any marks of his malady, prefent an enormous mafs of 

 new fafts and obfervations of the utmoft importance to 

 phyfics. 



He rendered alfo an important fervice to that fcience by 

 publifliing the Agenda*, which terminate his fourth A'olume, 

 and in which that great man, furviving hiinfelf, condufts 

 the young naturalift through the middle of mountains, and 

 teaches him the method of obferving them with advantage. 

 Thefe Agenda are a proof of his genius, and of the ftrength 

 of mind which he retained amidft his fufferings. It was alfo 

 during his illnefs that he publifhed Obfervations on the fuji- 

 h'llity of (lanes hy the blozu-pipe, and that he directed the ex- 

 periments made on the height of the bed of the Arve *. Hav- 

 ing gone for the fake of his health to the baths of Plombiers, 

 he ftill obfervcd the mountains at a diftance, and caufed to 

 be brought to him fpecimens of the ftrata which he per- 

 ceived in the fteepeft rocks. He had announced that he 

 would conclude his Travels with fome ideas on the primitive 

 flate of the earth; but the more he acquired new fads, 

 and the more he meditated on the fubjeft, the more uncer- 

 tain did his opinions become in regard to thole grand revo- 

 lutions which preceded the prefent epoch. In general he 

 was a Neptunian; that is to fay, afcribed all the revolutions 

 of our globe to water. He admitted the poflibility of the 

 mountains having been thrown up by claftic fluids difcn- 

 gagcd from the cavities of the earth. 



Though the ftatc of his health began gradually to become 



• Part of thefe Agenda have been alrenily given in the Pbilofo/Sical 

 ^,jj(iz.«f'.- the reft will be given in tiie fubfcquent numbers. }lniT. 

 • * His mcnv:)iis on thtfc fubjcfls were infertcJ in ilif "Jomnal de l'bx/i',ttc. 



II 3 worfci 



