118 MALUS. 



extent beyond what is usual. I have discovered among 

 the papers of Malus, two cantos of an epic poem entitled 

 Themelie, or the Foundation of France, and two com- 

 plete tragedies ; one on the capture of Utica, and the 

 death of Cato ; the other recounting the dreadful catas- 

 trophes of the family of the Atrides, and entitled Plectra. 

 The fact that some beautiful verses and some interesting 

 situations occur, would not hinder me from avowing that 

 the youthful author had not as yet discovered his true 

 vocation, were it not that the immense inequality which 

 we observe between the Hostile Brothers and the Andro- 

 mache,, though both worthy of Racine, shows with what 

 caution we ought to abstain from premature judgment. 



Malus pushed forward with equal and distinguished 

 success the study of letters, and of algebra and geometry. 

 He went through the examination for the School of En- 

 gineers at Mezieres, in 1793, and was classed the same 

 year as sub-lieutenant in the promotion in which General 

 Bertrand held the first place. But the serious disorders 

 of which the school of Mezieres was the theatre, having 

 caused its suppression, Malus could not profit by his bre- 

 vet of admission. He enrolled himself as a volunteer in 

 the 15th battalion of Paris, and proceeded to Dunkirk, 

 where he took part in the manual labour of the wheel- 

 barrow, as a common workman in the construction of the 

 field fortifications with which that place was being sur- 

 rounded. M. Lepere, engineer of roads and bridges, who 

 was directing a part of these constructions, having re- 

 marked certain peculiar and unexpected arrangements in 

 the manner in which the soldiers executed the excava- 

 tions and raised the mounds, was desirous to learn the 

 origin of these practices ; they pointed out to him the 

 man who had indicated these as the means best suited to 



