MEMOIR OF PALLAS. 67 
to those of our own country, and for every literary 
communication it was in his power to supply. 
When we delivered our letters of recommendation 
to him, he received us rather as a parent than a 
stranger to whose protection we had been consigned. 
We refused to intrude by occupying apartments in 
his house: this had more the appearance of a palace 
than the residence of a private gentleman; but one 
day when we were absent upon an excursion, he 
caused all our things to be moved, and upon our 
return we found a suite of rooms prepared for our 
reception, with every convenience for study and 
repose. I consider myself indebted to him even for 
my life. The fatigue of travelling, added to the 
effect of bad air and unwholesome food, rendered a 
quartan fever so habitual to me, that, had it not 
been for his care and skill, I should not have lived 
to make this grateful acknowledgment. He pre- 
seribed for me; administered every medicine with 
his own hands; carefully guarded my diet; and, 
after nursing me as his own son, at last restored me 
to health. When I recovered, he ransacked his 
museum for drawings, charts, maps, books, anti- 
quities, minerals, and whatever else might gratify 
our curiosity, or promote the object of our travels ; 
he accompanied us upon the most wearisome excur- 
sions, in search not only of the insects and plants of 
the country, but also of every document likely to 
illustrate either its ancient or its modern history. 
His decline of life had been embittered by a variety 
of afflictions, which he bore with stoical philoso- 
