Biographical Memoirs of P. Bay en. 213 



became fenfible that, to make any real progrefs in that fciertcfi, 

 the founded judgment muft be guided by a particular kind 

 of knowledge not fupplied by nature, and which can be ob- 

 tained only by long and affiduous labour. 



With a tolerable flock of knowledge, and a defire to ob- 

 tain more, Bayen repaired to Paris, where he refided with 

 an eminent apothecary, a friend of the celebrated Charras, 

 The intelligence and happy difpofitions of the pupil could 

 not efcape the penetration of the mafter, who, finding in 

 this young man, fond of fcience, a character and tafte fimi- 

 lar to his own, treated him as his friend rather than a pupil, 

 and procured him every means of inftru&ion, by entrufling 

 him with the management of his laboratory. His hopes 

 were not difappointed : Bayen applied for feveral years to 

 all the labours of pharmacy, and acquired fo much fkill in 

 this art, that, before he had attained to the age of thirty, he 

 was appointed chief apothecary to the army in Germany 

 durino- the war of feven years. The duties of this office he 

 difchar^ed with a fuccefs worthy of the confidence which 

 had been repofed in him ; and he fought no other recom- 

 penfe for the fatigues he underwent, than the fatisfa&ion of 

 being ufeful in the hofpitals. 



After the peace he returned to Paris. At that period 

 government was defirous of executing a plan it had been 

 long meditating, which was, to caufe an analyfis to be made 

 of all the mineral waters common in France. Rouelle, be- 

 ing appointed to make choice of the chemifls capable of dis- 

 charging that tafk, pointed out Bayen and Venel. They at 

 firft carried on their labours in conjunction, and publifhed 

 the refult of their obfervations ; but as an enterprise of this 

 nature, to be completed, would require feveral years, and as 

 particular circumftances obliged Venel to discontinue it, the 

 whole devolved upon Bayen, who applied himfelf to it with 

 the utmoft affiduity. 



He fucceffively publifhed various works, which contained 



much more extenfive information refpe&ing thefe mineral 



p q waters 



