and Astronomical Instrument Makers at Paris. 253 



specting the most distinguished artists of Paris. These are, 

 for chronometers the family of Breguet ; for mechanical and 

 mathematical instruments MM. Fortin, Gambey, Lenoir, 

 Richer and Jecker ; and for optical instruments MM. Lere- 

 bours and Cauchoix. 



The father of M. Breguet died at the age of nearly 77 years ; 

 he was born in Switzerland of French parents, but resided at 

 Paris for the last 60 years of his life, during the whole of 

 which time he applied himself to the making of clocks : but it 

 was only within about 40 years that he constructed chronome- 

 ters. M. Breguet was a member of the mechanical class of the 

 Academy of Sciences, a member of the Legion of Honour, 

 artist to the Board of Longitude, and manufacturer of chro- 

 nometers for the navy. I am unable to speak of M. Breguet 

 without expressing the lively grief which I feel at being obliged 

 to substitute the expression of he was for that of he is : my 

 connection with him, while I remained at Paris, had so greatly 

 endeared him to me, that I could not but participate in the 

 sorrow with which all his numerous friends were overwhelmed 

 by his sudden and unexpected death. 1 shall always recall 

 him to my memory as the most amiable of men ; and I am 

 persuaded that if (which I do not suppose to be the case) 

 there are any who would dispute with him the honour of hav- 

 ing been the most distinguished of philosophical artists, and 

 of possessing the utmost fertility of genius in his art, yet there 

 are none who would deny that he possessed the best of hearts, 

 and sustained the noblest of characters. His son, who is a 

 man of 40, directed the business of the house during the life of 

 his father, and will continue the establishment on exactly the 

 same footing as formerly. M. Breguet cultivates the sciences 

 with attention, particularly the physical sciences ; and his son, 

 a young man of 18, has already applied himself to the mak- 

 ing of chronometers ; and, as is stated, with much success. 

 M. Breguet has for several years been engaged in concluding 

 a work on clock-making, an undertaking by which he is much 

 occupied and interested. I hope that it will shortly appear, 

 and it is unnecessary for me to state the degree of attention to 

 which it will be entitled. The address of the firm of Breguet 

 is No. 79, Quai de l'Horloge. 



After the family of Breguet, those most distinguished for 

 clock-making, and who also are all manufacturers of chronome- 

 ters, are MM. Perlet, Duchemin, M. Berthoud the son, and 

 M. Motel ; the first two of these are pupils of M. Breguet, 

 and the others of M. Louis Berthoud ; the Navy Board 

 employ M. Motel in repairing and cleaning the chronometers 

 of Berthoud, and are well satisfied with his performance. 



M. Janvier 



