THEORIES OF LAMARCK AXD DARWIX 371 



him to a com])any; and, 1)eing mounted, Lamarck took rank 

 as a sergeant. During his first engagement his company 

 was exposed to the direct fire of the enemy, and the officers 

 one after another were shot until Lamarck 1)\- order of suc- 

 cession was in command of tlie fourteen remaining gren- 

 adiers. Ahhougli the French army retreated, Lamarck 

 refused to mo\e with his scjuad until he recei\'ed directions 

 from headcjuarters to retire. In this his first battle he 

 showed the courage and the independence that characterized 

 him in later years. 



Adopts Natural Science. — An injury to the glands of the 

 neck, resulting from being lifted by the head in sport b}' one 

 of his comrades, unfitted him for military life, and he went to 

 Paris and began the study of medicine, sup})orting himself 

 in the mean time by working as a bank clerk. It was in his 

 medical course of four years' severe study that Lamarck 

 received the exact traininir that was needed to convert his 

 enthusiastic love for science into the working powers of an 

 investigator. He became especially interested in botany, 

 and, after a chance interview with Rousseau, he determined 

 to follow the ruling passion of his nature and devote himself 

 to natural science. After about nine years' work he published, 

 in 1778, his Flora of France, and in due course was appointed 

 to a post in botany in the Academy of Sciences. He did not 

 liold this position long, but left it to travel with the sons 

 of Buft'on as their instructor. I'his agreeable occu])ation 

 extended o\er two years, and he then returned to Paris, and 

 soon after was made keeper of the herbarium in the Royal 

 Garden, a subordinate position entirely beneatli his merits. 

 Lamarck held this poorly ])aid position for several years, and 

 was finall}' relie\ed by being appointed a i)rofessor in the 

 newl\- established Jardin dcs Plantcs. 



He took an active part in the reorganization of the Royal 

 Garden (Jardin du Roi) into the Jardin dcs PUinlcs. When, 



