114 MEMOIRS OF 



of mineralogy, the founder of a system which has been 

 adopted all over the world. Imprisoned during the fury of 

 the Revolution, he tranquilly pursued his studies in his cell, 

 and was -with difficulty torn from it by his friend, M. Geof- 

 froy St. Hilaire, on the fatal 2d of September. In 1802, he 

 was appointed Professor to the Museum of Natural History. 

 Pious, benevolent, tolerant, and devoted to his studies, no 

 worldly considerations ever intercepted his religious exercises 

 nor his scientific labours ; and his mode of hving was as 

 simple as the station from which he sprung : he w'alked in 

 the same places every day, took the same exercise, wore the 

 same fashion of clothing, and his manners and language 

 were equally remarkable for their primitive simplicity. A 

 fall in his own room occasioned a fracture from which he 

 never recovered ; but, during the long hours of pain which 

 preceded his death, he divided his time between prayer, a 

 careful edition of his works, and the future fate of his pu- 

 pils. 



Count BerthoUet was a chemist, of the most elevated 

 rank; and to him is duethediscoverycf the present method 

 of bleaching linen, and many improvements in dyeing. 



M. Richard came into the world at Autuil, a garden be- 

 longing to Louis XV., of which he afterwards became the 

 chief; and, born in the midst of plants, he knew their 

 names before he could read, and could draw them before he 

 could write correctly. To the study of botany was his whole 

 life devoted; for this he perfected himself in drawing, and 

 became acquainted with the Greek and Latin languages ; 

 for this he refused advantageous offers in the church ; and 

 for this he \vas turned out from the paternal dwelling, with 

 the scantiest pittance. Drawing by night, and studying 

 botany by day, he by degrees accumulated money, but this 

 money was for his favourite science. He was sent to the 

 French colonies in America, to propagate Indian produc- 

 tions, and discover which of theirs could in turn be made 

 useful. Laden with treasures he returned to France, but 

 all there was changed : M. de Buffon was dead ; the govern- 

 ment unskilful and in confusion ; no one recollected the 

 promises made to him, and people whose heads were hourly 

 in danger, cared little for the cloves of Cayenne. Enfeebled 

 in health, exhausted in fortune, and unable to look forward 



