86 A JUVENILE PRODIGY. 



presented him with a microscope, and said, " As 

 you have been hitherto such -au adept in studying 

 the works of men, it is time you should now study 

 those of nature." Probably these early instruc- 

 tions and successes influenced his subsequent 

 career. He says, at the commencement of his 

 Travels : " Having in my very early days felt a 

 particular liking to the study of philosophy and 

 natural history, I found my inclinations averse 

 from the profession for which my parents designed 

 me, which was that of the Church ; and therefore 

 I resigned a benefice, with which I had been 

 already provided, that I might be entirely at 

 liberty to pursue the study of natural philosophy. 

 The branch I first took up with was that of botany, 

 which I considered as? one of the most engaging 

 studies, not only from its considerable use in life, 

 but from its agreeable variety. The opportunity I 

 had of attending the lectures of MM. de Jussieu 

 at the King's garden led me thither very often ; 

 and the strong passion I felt for that science, to- 

 gether with my constant application, soon made me 

 known to those masters, especially M. Bernard de 

 Jussieu, who took notice of me, and by degrees 

 led me on to the study of every branch of natural 

 history. After having gone through a course of 

 instruction for upwards of six years, under the 

 direction of the most celebrated academicians, I 



