208 MEMOIRS OF 



in his own room occasioned a fracture from which 

 he never recovered ; but, during the long hours 

 of pain which preceded his deatli, he divided his 

 time between prayer, a careful edition of his 

 works, and the future fate of his pupils. 



Count Berthollet was a chemist of the most 

 elevated rank; and to him is due tlie discovery 

 of the present method of bleaching linen, and 

 many improvements in dyeing. 



M. Ricliard came into the M^orld at Auteuil, 

 a garden belonging 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 acquauited with 

 the Greek and Latin languages; for this he re- 

 fused advantageous offers in the church ; and 

 for this he was 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 Li- 

 dian productions, and discover which of theirs 

 could in turn be made useful. Laden with 



