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ever read. Tlie following description of his 

 lectures recalls those of the author, and, in many 

 instances, is equally applicable to both : — " For 

 five and twenty years the amphitheatre of the Jar- 

 din des Plantes was the centre of M. Fourcroy's 

 glory. The great scientific establishments of 

 this capital, where celebrated masters expose to 

 a numerous public, capable of passing judgment 

 on them, the most profound doctrines of modern 

 times, recall to our memory that which was 

 noblest in antiquity. We flmcy we again find 

 in these assemblies a whole people animated by 

 the voice of a single orator ; and again see those 

 schools, where chosen disciples came to pene- 

 trate the oracles of a sage. The lectures of 

 M. Fourcroy corresponded to this twofold pic- 

 ture : Plato and Demosthenes seemed to be 

 united in him ; and it is almost necessary to be 

 one or the other, to give an idea of them. Con- 

 nection of method, abundance of elocution, ele- 

 vation, precision, elegance of terms, as if they 

 had been selected long beforehand; rapidity, 

 brilliancy, novelty, as if suddenly inspired ; a 

 flexible, sonorous, and silvery voice, yielding to 

 every motion, penetrating into the corners of the 

 largest audience-room ; — nature had bestowed 

 every thing on him. Sometimes his discourse 



