4 Biographical Account of [Jan, 



interesting to his pupils, by the exhibition of his specimens, 

 which he freely permitted them to examine, and by taking short 

 excursions with them into the neighbourhood of Paris, and 

 illustrating his doctrines by a reference to natural phenomena. 

 The substance of his lectures was afterwards published in two 

 works, one on mineralogy, and the other on geology, forming a 

 series of five volumes, which maybe regarded as " The Theory 

 of the Earth" with some additions and alterations. 



The stormy period of the French revolution, which now raged 

 in all its horrors, was felt by the family of Delametherie ; and 

 although his own income was both scanty and precarious, he 

 very generously resigned the annuity which he had reserved out 

 of the paternal estate. But the sale of his journal became 

 suspended by the increasing troubles of the times ; and for a 

 period of two or three years he appears to have endured great 

 privations ; which were, however, mitigated by the liberality of 

 his colleague Cuvier, who gave up to him a large proportion of 

 the emoluments of their joint office. When France again 

 acquired a state of comparative tranquillity, and science began 

 to resume her rank in public estimation, Delametherie was found 

 ready at his post ; he recommenced his journal, in which he 

 always inserted a number of his own papers ; and in the year 

 1804 he published his " Considerations on Organized Beings," a 1 

 work, as usual, containing much information, but unfortunately 

 blended with a large proportion of mere speculative theory. In 

 1812 Delametherie had a severe attack of apoplexy; but he re- 

 covered from it so far as to pursue his usual literary occupations 

 for five years, although harrassed by a variety of complaints, 

 indicating a complete breaking up of his constitution, until a 

 second apoplectic attack carried him off on July 1, 1817, in the 

 74th year of his age. 



His moral and intellectual character may be pretty exactly 

 appreciated from the narrative of his life ; he was a man of 

 strict honour and integrity, of regular habits, capable of acts of 

 great generosity, and totally devoid of all anxiety for the gratifi- 

 cations of luxury, or the frivolous pursuits of vulgar ambition. 

 But unfortunately these good qualities were obscured by pride, 

 self-love, irascibility, and jealousy ; and the operation of these 

 being more obvious and more frequently called into action, his 

 defects were more known than his virtues, and he did not obtain 

 the estimation in society to which, upon a fair balance of his 

 qualities, he was justly entitled. This circumstance he felt 

 acutely; while at the same time it aggravated the evil, and 

 tended to give a degree of harshness to his disposition, which 

 was not natural to it. When not under the influence of temper, 

 he was kind and humane; and, except on the score of literary 

 reputation, was free from all selfish feelings. 



With respect to the scientific character of Delametherie, he 

 may be justly entitled to the commendation of unwearied appli- 



