^ebec. 241 



Undure. The fird of thefe was now above 

 fifty years of age, of a low ftature, and 

 fomewhat hump-backed, but of a very a- 

 greeable look. He had been here for foms 

 time as governor-general -, and was going 

 back to France one day this month. I 

 have already mentioned fomething concern- 

 ing this nobleman ; but when I think of 

 his many great qualities, I can never give 

 him a fufficient encomium. He has a fur- 

 prizing knowledge in all branches of fci- 

 ence, and efpecially in natural hiftory; in 

 which he is fo well verfed, that when he 

 began to fjpeak with me about it, I ima- 

 gined I faw our great Ltijinceus under a new 

 form. When he fpoke of the ufe of na- 

 tural hiftory, of the method of learning, 

 and employing it to raife the ftate of a 

 country, I was aPtonirhed to fee him take 

 his reafons from politics, as well as natu- 

 ral philofophy, mathematics, and other 

 fciences. I own, that my converfation 

 with ti.is nobleman was very indrudtive to 

 me 5 and I always drew a deal of ufeful 

 knowledge from it. He told me feveral 

 ways of employing natural hiftory to the 

 purpofes of politics, and to make a coun- 

 try powerful, in order to deprefs its envious 

 neighbours. Never has natural hiftory had 

 a greater promoter in this country ; and it 

 Vol. III. Q_ is 



