162 Biographical Account of [Sxpr. 
agriculture and manufactures, navigation, commerce, even the 
greater number of wars, and that great developement of courage 
and genius, that great apparatus of exertion and knowledge which 
they require, have nothing else for their final object than two 
simple chemical operations. Consequently the smallest new fact 
respecting the laws of nature in these two operations may reduce the 
public and private expenses, may change the tactics and direction 
of commerce, may transfer the power of one people to another, and 
may ultimately alter the fundamental relations of the classes of 
society. : 
This carbon .and this hydrogen, which we consume, without 
ceasing, in our fires, in our clothes, in our food, are continually 
reproduced for a new consumption by vegetables which obtain them 
from the atmosphere and from water. Vegetation itself is fixed by 
the extent of the soil, by the species of vegetables cultivated, and 
by the proportion of wood, of meadows and corn-fields. It would 
be vain, therefore, for the most paternal government to increase the 
population of its territories beyond a certain limit. All its cares 
would be inefficacious, unless science came to its assistance. But 
let a philosopher contrive a fire-place which saves a portion of the 
fuel. This is exactly the same thing as if he had added to the 
quantity of our territory planted with wood. Let a botanist point 
out a plant which in the same space furnishes more nourishment. 
This is the same thing as if he had in the same proportion aug- 
mented our cultivated fields. Immediately there will be room in 
the country for a greater number of active men. 
Happy conquests which occasion no effusion of blood, and which 
repair the disasters of vulgar conquests! Yes! how paradoxical 
soever it may appear, it is owing essentially to the progress of the 
sciences that society does not sink under the effects of its own fury. 
Without chemistry, what would have become of all our manu- 
factures when we were shut out from the places which furnished the 
yaw materials? Has not vaccination preserved those children des- 
tined shortly to replace those that have been cut off by war? And 
to confine ourselves solely to the labours of Parmentier and Count 
Rumford, is it not evident to all the world that the. perseverance 
with which the former encouraged the culture of potatoes has ren- 
dered whole countries, formerly sterile, fertile and inhabitable, and 
has twice saved us within 20 years from the horrors of famine ; that 
the discoveries of the other on the best method of employing com- 
bustibles have counterbalanced the devastation of our forests, and 
that, applied to the preparation of food, they support even at this 
moment, from one end of Europe to the other, an infinite number 
of unfortunate persons. 
Let any person reflect for a moment on the effect of a small im- 
provement applied to so great a scale, and he will see that it must 
be caleulated by hundreds of millons. 
If I could bring before you those fathers of families who no 
longer hear around them the melancholy eries of want ; those mo- 
