Martins , on the Life and Labors of De Candolle. 229 



and dumb, his contributions for the erection of a small post for 

 the use of the rural communities, and also for the founding of a 

 better system for the instruction and examination of medical and 

 surgical students — all these actions of an elevated patriotism, 

 either originated with him, or received his earnest and effectual 

 support. It must be particularly mentioned in this place, that he 

 exercised the most beneficial influence on all the departments of 

 public instruction by his counsel, by his powerful aid, and by the 

 authority ol his name. 



It was his constant effort to increase the desire for knowledge, 

 to extend the circle of science. He was inspired by that genuine 

 aristocracy, which we find also in a Cuvier, a Fourcroy and a 

 Laplace ,* he wished to raise science to the rank of a princess, 

 that she might make herself the servant of mankind. In this 

 sense also he was a great friend to publicity; he helped to intro- 

 duce it into his country, he caused it to be prized at a period 

 when it had not yet been regarded with favor, and in which it 

 not seldom called out suspicion and alarm. 



In his place as member of the representative council, subjects 

 of great political importance were often referred to him- He dis- 

 charged all such commissions with as much skill, as independent 

 disinterestedness. More than thirty commissions of this kind were 

 executed by him with as much assiduity, as if they concerned 

 objects of his own favorite science. His friend, the first Syndicus 

 Rigaud, who honored his memory by a discourse on occasion of 

 the induction of the lately elected deputies, mentioned two 

 such labors; one relating to a project for a committee for procur- 

 ing provisions for the city {comite des subsista7ices) of the year 

 1820, and another two years later, on the project for reprisals 

 against France in relation to their exports and imports ; which 

 had for its object the rejection of the project. Mr. Rigaud re- 

 marks on this subject, " The first report was an excellent work, 

 which touched on the most important questions of national econ- 

 omy. It introduced also just ideas on the question of provision 

 for the people by other means than by the government, at a period 

 when the remembrance of a recent time of scarcity, had fixed 

 many prejudices even in the minds of enlightened men. De Can- 

 dolle exerted himself to present the doctrines of political economy 

 in an intelligible manner, just as he tried to clothe every other spe- 

 cies of knowledge in a popular dress. As early as the year 1817, 



