112 A LOVE OF STUDY. 



indefatigable zeal and courage in the cause of zoolo- 

 gical research is Sonnini (de Manoncourt), born at 

 Luneville in the year 1751. He was descended of 

 an ancient family, his father being hereditary lord 

 of the fief of Manoncourt in Vermois, and coun- 

 cillor of Stanislaus, King of Poland. He was 

 educated at the University of Pont a Monsoon, a 

 celebrated Jesuit establishment, and made such 

 rapid progress in his studies that at the early age 

 of fifteen years and a half he took the degree of 

 doctor in philosophy. From his youth he mani- 

 fested great love for the study of natural history, 

 and attracted, in consequence, the attention of 

 BufFon and Nollet, who fostered these early bud- 

 dings of his genius. He had been designed by his 

 father to occupy an official situation, and went to 

 Strasburg to study law ; but the bent of his mind led 

 him soon to relinquish this pursuit. He longed to 

 travel ; and as the best means to attain this desire, 

 he resolved to embrace the profession of arms. He 

 soon obtained a commission in the Marine Engi- 

 neer service, and was sent to Cayenne in 1772. He 

 had found his congenial sphere. " Nature" (to use 

 his own words) " had in a manner marked out his 

 destination. With an ardent imagination, a love of 

 the sciences, a passion for discoveries, the sang-froid 

 of courage, and a constitution proof against any- 

 thing, he appeared to be intended for the most 



