MEMOIR OF LATREILLE. 37 



amongst us a great and irreparable blank ; for pre- 

 eminence of this nature is not a favour which Fortune 

 grants twice to the same country in the course of 

 the same century. With this first rank among the 

 entomologists of our age, Fabricius, like another 

 Elias, had invested the heir of his talents while 

 alive, for I have heard this solemn designation from 

 the mouth of the Professor of Kiel himself; and 

 this acknowledgment of the superiority of my 

 venerable friend, M. Latreille, confirmed by the 

 universal assent of men of science throughout Eu- 

 rope, has been the solace of the latter portion of a 

 life of so much diligence and useful labour; and 

 how agreeable to him has been the just homage 

 with which you, my fellow members of the Entomo- 

 logical Society, whom I have seen so affectionate and 

 ardent in testifying your filial grief, have surrounded 

 his latter days ! You conferred inexpressible happi- 

 ness on a heart which received the most delightful 

 impressions from the regards of friendship, when 

 you formed yourselves into a society, in the begin- 

 ning of last year, under his honourable patronage, 

 and surrounding your Honorary President as affec- 

 tionate and devoted children, confidently and re- 

 spectfully sought his distinguished guidance. 



" At this moment of sorrow and regret, and when 

 paying our final homage, it may be asked what could 

 have been the commencement of a life the recollec- 

 tions of which henceforth belong to the history of the 

 Sciences ? Was M. Latreille called upon to derive 

 celebrity from the fame of his relations, or to create 

 it for himself? He has himself affirmed that fate 



