Biographical Memoirs of P. Bay en. 21 7 



ments which have fubfifted without any perceptible altera- 

 tion for a long feries of ages, have been thofe constructed 

 of marble, little fufceptible of any attack from the action of 

 the air or of water. From all the analyfes which he made 

 of marble belonging to ancient monuments, he concluded, 

 that when a public edifice is to be erected, an architect can- 

 not take too many precautions to be affured of the good (late 

 of the materials he employs, efpecially when they are brought 

 from a quarry recently opened. By thus making an ufeful 

 application of chemiftry to an art which feemed to be foreign 

 to it, he revived a truth, too little noticed, that there exifts 

 between all the fciences a connection which unites them by 

 fixed and invariable principles. 



Beiides the labours above mentioned, Bayen began others, 

 which, on account of the many experiments necefiary before 

 he could obtain certain refults, were never finilhed ; for he 

 was of opinion that the operations of chemiftry ought to b« 

 conducted (lowly, like thofe of nature. On this account he 

 has been known to employ himfelf whole years in the ex- 

 amination of one fubftancc, in which he wiilied to dif- 

 cover and to feparate a matter, that would have been de- 

 i'troyed or altered by too violent means, had he proceeded 

 with more hafte. To this prudent conduct was owing the 

 great perfection to which he always carried his labours; 

 and his accuracy was fo great, that he was never afraid of 

 feeing his experiments repeated by other chemifts. 



This diligent and laborious man, when he had attained 

 to the age of fixty, found his health, which had hitherto 

 been found and robuft, fenfibly impaired by a long and pain- 

 ful malady. Several journeys which he was obliged to 

 undertake, the lofs of fome friends, domeftic troubles, and 

 weaknefs brought on by his labours, haftened his death. He 

 fupported his complicated evils with great patience, and died 

 in the beginning of the prefent year, at the age of feventv- 

 two. Bayen lived in celibacy, but he poflerlcd the virtue 

 tiecsllary for that condition. He was a man of a found judg- 

 ment.. 



