M. LE COMTE DE LACEPEDE. 19 



two sentiments always remained united in his mind. 

 He took Buffon for his master and his model, and 

 read him till he almost knew him by heart. 



About this time the love and cultivation of music 

 not less strongly took possession of his mind. His 

 father and many of his near relatives were musi- 

 cians, and he often joined their concerts. This 

 art afforded him inexpressible delight, and became 

 to him a second language, which he could write 

 and speak with equal facility. Both the airs which 

 he composed, and the mode of his execution gene- 

 rally, were greatly admired. He was often requested 

 to compose, and ere long he engaged in the labo- 

 rious task of an opera ; this introduced him to the 

 acquaintance of the celebrated Gluck, who greatly 

 admired and cherished his genius. 



Natural philosophy also, at this time, formed an 

 object of his pursuit. At the age of thirteen he 

 formed, with some of his school-fellows, a juvenile 

 society, several members of which subsequently 

 became members of the Institute. Their investiga* 

 tions became more important as their years ad- 

 vanced; and electricity and magnetism, among other 

 subjects, engaged their attention. Lacepede harbg 

 made some experiments, and deduced conclusions, 

 which appeared new to him, he transmitted them 

 to Buffon, who noticed them in the supplements of 

 his work. 



At the age of twenty-one, Lacepede resorted to 

 Paris, where, on his arrival, he made the formal 

 acquaintance of his correspondents, Gluck and Buf- 



