Biographical Notice of' the Abbe Haiiy. 11 



he was paying this tribute to the weakness of humanity, 

 he was occupied with what he regarded as the true interests 

 of science, and suffered himself to be vexed only by ob- 

 stacles which, in his estimation, were opposed to the triumph 

 of truth. 



Such services deserved a reward, and he was at different 

 times pressed to make known what would be most agreeable 

 to himself. All his views were limited to the request that 

 he might be put into a situation to collect his family around 

 him, in order that they might take care of him during his age 

 and infirmity. This desire was immediately satisfied by 

 granting to the husband of his niece some little station in the 

 department of finance. Who could believe that a recom- 

 pense so well merited as this, would disappear on the first 

 political change, and that the friends of Haiiy should be able 

 to obtain no other reply to their solicitations, than that " there 

 was no connection between the public contributions and crys- 

 tallography." 



This trial was not the only one which this illustrious savant 

 had to support. A short time afterwards, the state of the 

 finances occasioned him to lose a pension which he could bad- 

 ly dispense with. His brother, who had been invited to 

 Russia to spread a knowledge of the method of instructing 

 the blind, returned from that country without a fulfilment 

 of any of the promises that had been made him, and in a 

 state of health so enfeebled as to render him a charge to 

 his family. It was thus that, towards the end of his days, 

 Haiiy found himself reduced to the same necessitous condi- 

 tion that he had more than once experienced. His religious 

 resignation would have become of indispensable importance 

 to him, if his young relations had not concealed from him, 

 with the greatest care, the embarrassment of his worldly 

 affairs. The less he had it in his power to testify his gratis 

 tude to them, the more earnest were they to bestow upon 

 him every delicate attention. The love of his pupils, and 

 the respect of all Europe contributed also to console him. In- 

 telligent men of all ranks who came to Paris, were anxious to 

 express their regard for him and almost at the close of his 



