Memoir of Charles Alexander Lesueur. 209 



of it, no precaution, which an enlightened foresight could sug- 

 gest- to ensure success, seemed to be omitted ; and yet, such was 

 the course of events in the department of zoology, one of the 

 prominent objects of the voyage, little would have been done 

 without the efforts of two obscure young men, who had been 

 permitted to embark in the expedition, more with the view of 



gratifying their importunate desire of seeing foreign countries, 



t 



than from any expectation of benefit from their services. With- 

 out the advantages derived from family connections, from fortune, 

 from reputation, Peron and Lesueur had the bravery to aspire to 

 distinction, and their endeavors were crowned with signal success. 



After many difficulties, chiefly resulting from the financial em- 

 barrassments of the government, the first volume of the History 

 of the voyage made its appearance in the year 1807; but the 

 Atlas by no means contained as many illustrations as had been 

 prepared for it by Lesueur. This omission was a disappointment 

 to the public, especially to those who had been favored with a 

 view of the invaluable collection of drawings in the possession 

 of the artist, liable to accidents, and the loss of which would be 

 irreparable* 



The constitution of Peron shaken by the trials of the voyage, 

 gave no signs of amendment on his return ; and it was not long 

 before it became evident that a pulmonary affection was the cause. 

 His exertions in the performance of his duty, were not relaxed 

 thereby; and his second volume was commenced with unabated 

 zeal, until it was ascertained that he was taxing his mind at the 

 expense of his physical powers, which would ill afford such an 

 expenditure. By the advice of his medical attendants, he was 

 induced to undertake a journey to the southern provinces, not in 

 the expectation of a cure, which he knew was impossible, but in 

 the hope that a more genial climate than that of Paris might tend 

 to mitigate those sufferings which were becoming intolerable. 

 His inseparable friend accompanied him to Nice, where they spent 

 a winter. But it was apparent that a change of scenes, instead 

 of being promotive of repose, so greatly needed, serves merely 

 as a stimulus to exertion. The shores of the Mediterranean pre- 

 sented objects too inviting to be resisted ; and Peron engaged 

 anew in those active pursuits, which his feeble body was unable 

 to sustain. On his return to Paris he resumed the narrative of 



* When Mr. Lesueur came to America, he brought thes 

 ^as thought at Paris that thev ought to have been depoffl 



harden nf Plov»+ . «^J r._i- - — .- ^kiki'to^ nn the 



^s with him. It 

 e library at the 

 among the Pro- 



fesao: 

 be sa 



part 



In justiti 



to'funuVh these drawings, the greater 



pensatwn for this extra labor he «tt« miently conceived he lui.I a right to return 

 them, as his private property. Th remedy for this grievance was very obvious ; 



but the '/ovommpnt rli.l ,»„+ „.'. 4. ,„.,vt t,\'it 



out the Government did not care to resort to it 

 Second Sertes, Vol. VIII, No. 23.— Sept 



27 



