162 Mr. Colquhoun on the Life and Writings [March, 



the command of Napoleon, or as he v,'as at that time styled, the 

 General of the Army of Italy. Interesting as the result of the 

 expedition was to the political affairs of Europe, it was not less 

 so'to the scientific world. Many of the most illustrious names 

 inFrance, in every department of philosophy, Berthollet, Monge, 

 Andrcossy, Denon, Mains, Descostils, Levavasseur, Fourier, ik.c. 

 accompanied the army to that country which had been the cradle 

 of so many useful arts and of as much knowledge, and with 

 them the light of science once more shone on the splendid 

 remains of ancient Egypt. In order the more effectually to 

 co-operate in the cause of knowledge, these gentlemen formed 

 themselves into a society named the " Institute of Egypt," 

 which was constituted on precisely the same plan with that of 

 the IN'ational Institute at Paris. Their first meeting was on 

 6 Fructidor, sixth year of the Republic (1798), and after that 

 thev continued to assemble at stated intervals : on each occa- 

 sion, memoirs were read by the respective members, of which, 

 the climate, the inhabitants, and the natural and artificial pro- 

 ducts of the country they had just entered, together with its 

 kntiquities, formed important subjects. After their return to 

 France, there was published in 1800 a highly interesting volume 

 of Memoirs of the Institute of Egypt, — a work to which the 

 names above quoted were the chief contributors. 



It is by no means one of the least interesting portions of the 

 history of oitt chemist, that in which he became intimate with the 

 most extraordinary character of modern times, and in which he 

 is found to be the principal agent in assembling that distinguished 

 company of savans who afterwards formed themselves into the 

 Egyptian Institute. Kapoleon, during his occasional intercourse 

 with Beithollet in Italy, had been alike captivated by so great a 

 Simphcity of manners, joined to such force and depth of tbink^- 

 ing, as he soon perceived to characterise the chemist. When, 

 therefore, he soon after returned to Paris, where he enjoyed a 

 few months of comparative leisure, amid the cafesses and admi- 

 ration of all ranks in the state, he resolved to employ the time 

 of which he had then the disposal, in studying chemistry under 

 Berthollet. It was now that this illustrious pupil imparted to the 

 philosopher his purposed expedition to Egypt, of which no 

 whisper was to be spread abroad until the blow was ready to 

 fall, and begged him, at the same time, iiot merely to accompany 

 the army himself, but to choose such men of talent and expe- 

 rience as he conceived fitted to find there an employment worthy 

 of the country which they visited, and of (hat winch sent them 

 forth. For Berthollet to invite men to undertake a hazardous 

 expedition, the nature and destination of which he was not per- 

 mitted to unfold to them, was rather a difficult and delicate task, 

 which however he earnestly undertook. All that he dared say 

 to those whom he engagedin the enterprise, was siiiiply, in the 



