ANNALS 



OF 



PHILOSOPHY. 



JUNE, 1818. 



Article I. 



Biographical Sketch of M. Guy ton de Morveau. 



LoUIS-BERNARD GUYTON DE MORVEAU was born 

 at Dijon in the year 1737. His father, who was Professor of 

 Civil Law in the University of that place, superintended with 

 much assiduity the education of his son, who, in consequence,, 

 had gone through the general college course in the university of 

 his native town by the time that he had completed his 16th year. 



During the next three years he devoted himself to the study 

 of the law, being destined by his father, with his own full con- 

 currence, to the legal profession. These pursuits, however, did 

 not so entirely engross his attention as to preclude him from 

 acquiring some knowledge of natural history, and from cultivat- 

 ing polite literature, a taste for the latter of which was no doubt 

 confirmed by a visit which he paid in 1756 to Voltaire at Ferney. 

 A satirical poem against the Jesuits, published the year after, 

 was probably the fruit of this visit. After completing his profes- 

 sional education at Paris, he settled at Dijon, and had already 

 begun to distinguish himself, when, in his 2-tth year, a vacancy 

 occurred in the office of Avocat General to the parliament of 

 Dijon. This being one of those situations which, according to 

 the custom of France, were disposed of by public sale, it was pur- 

 chased by M. de Morveau the elder, for his son, who thus at 

 his very outset in public life appeared pledged and devoted to 

 the exercise of a profession which, in general, more than any 

 other, requires the undivided attention of its followers. 



In his 27th year he presented to the parliament of Burgundy 

 a memoir on public instruction and on the influence of education 



Vol. XI. N° VI. 2 C 



