AUGUSTIN-PYRAMUS DE CANDOLLE. 299 



An episode of fifteen days, during which De Candolle, to 

 his great surprise, had political functions to perform, — being 

 appointed one of the three notables of the department of the 

 Leman, in a representation of all the departments of the 

 French Republic, which the First Consul called together, — 

 gives us the first glimpse of Bonaparte in this narrative ; and 

 De Candolle's account of the interviews with him, and with 

 his minister of police, Fouche, is well worth preserving. With 

 this transient exception, we have only the most incidental 

 allusions to public affairs during the eventful years of the 

 Consulate, the Empire, and the Restoration. 



We pass by, also, the interesting account which De Can- 

 dolle gives of the doings of Delessert and himself, in the 

 establishment and administration of the Philanthropic Society, 

 which grew out of the introduction by them of Count Rum- 

 ford's economical soups, distributed to the poor. These hon- 

 orable undertakings brought the two friends into relations 

 with Rumford himself when he came to reside at Paris. In- 

 deed Delessert, as we have had occasion to learn, became one 

 of Count Rumford's executors. The admiration with which 

 Rumford's writings and economical inventions had inspired 

 the two young philanthropists was much diminished upon 

 personal acquaintance. 



" It was after his plans," writes De Candolle, "that we had 

 constructed our furnaces, after his receipts that we made our 

 soups, upon his advice that we were induced to substitute 

 such assistance for gifts of money." 



So when Rumford was expected at Paris, they congratulated 

 themselves upon such an acquisition, went to meet him on his 

 arrival, and brought him to dine with them. 



" We found him a dry, methodical man, who spoke of benevolence 

 as a discipline, and of the poor as we should not have dared to speak 

 of vagabonds. It is necessary, said he, to punish those who give 

 alms ; the poor must be forced to work, etc., etc. Great was our 

 astonishment at hearing such maxims : however, we did our utmost 

 to profit by his advice in practical matters. I had a good deal <>t' 

 intercourse with him, one among others odd enough. Mademoiselle 

 Rath, a Genevese painter, and like ourselves enthusiastic about 



