BIOGRAPHICAL MEMOIR. XXVU 
names of new cities and innumerable towns, located on sites which, in his time, were still covered with 
the native forests; the mention of the multifarious rail-ways, extending their arms in all directions 
and encircling the whole country in an immense net-work of iron; the speedy steam trayelling by land 
and water, which would have rendered his long and painful journeys so short and so easy; in fine, the 
electro-magnetic telegraph, another offspring of American genius—all these wonderful achievements 
elicited from him the greatest amazement and the most emphatic exclamations: Mon Dieu, Mon Dieu, 
est il possible! 
He felt proud to mention that he had been one of the first steam navigators, and boasted of an early 
acquaintance with Fulton, whom he met at Albany in 1807, under the following circumstances: He 
was then returning to New York city from his exploration to the lakes Ontario and Hrie, and intend- 
ed to take passage in a packet boat for New York; but seeing an advertisement of a steamboat to de- 
part the same morning, he had the curiosity to examine her, and he determined to take passage on her. 
Strange to say, he and a Frenchman who accompanied him, were the only passengers on board; it was 
the first trial trip. Fulton was on board, and, as might be supposed, between two such men, speaking 
equally well the French language, an intimate friendship was formed, which continued through life. 
The ardour of this friendship on Michaux’s part, was proved by his devotion to Fulton’s memory. 
Michaux, having found in Paris a model, in clay, of a bust of his friend by Houdon, bought it and 
caused it to be put in marble by the best artist he could find, at the cost of 1000 francs. He obtained 
permission afterwards from the Government to have it placed in the Marine Department of the Louvre, 
near that of Papin, who had done, himself, so much for steam. 
Michaux’s turn of mind was also literary. Besides his great work on the North American trees, 
his journey to the west of the Allegheny Mountains and the memoirs already mentioned, he published, 
in 1831, an essay on the Planera crenata; in 1852, a memoir on the causes of Yellow Fever in the 
United States, and another one on the culture of the Vine. He may have left also, at his death, some 
unpublished papers, among which is probably the memoir alluded to in his last communication to the 
President of the American Philosophical Society. This communication dated, as I have said above, 
Vaureal near Pontoise, October 24th, 1852, was particularly intended to inform the President and his 
fellow-members that, desirous of giving the American nation a testimonial of his heartfelt gratitude 
for the hospitality and assistance which his father and himself had received in this country, during the 
‘course of their long and toilsome journeys, he had made testamentary provisions in favour of the So- 
ciety, with the view to afford the means of promoting the progress of the science of Sylviculture in the 
United States. 
This testament which Michaux had intrusted to the care of a gentleman of this city, Mr. Isaac Lea, 
whom he had consulted in the matter, was deposited four years ago in the archives of the Philosophical 
Society; but was not to be opened until after his death. This was done, consequently, on the 20th of 
October last, by the Recorder of Wills of the city of Philadelphia. By this document, he bequeaths 
to the American Philosophical Society, the sum of fourteen thousand dollars, for special purposes con- 
nected with the particular object of his constant aspiration, “The progress of agriculture with refer- 
ence to the propagation of useful forest trees.’ By the same instrument, he likewise endows the So- 
ciety of Agriculture and Arts of Boston, with the sum of eight thousand dollars for similar purposes. 
Michaux’s demise was made known to the American public by Prof. Asa Gray, in the columns of 
the July number of the American Journal of Sciences and Arts. It had been communicated to his 
lady, by a friend of Mr. Michaux, who thus relates the circumstances of his death: ‘I have to speak 
to you of the death of our good friend, Mr. Michaux. He was carried off with frightful suddenness by 
a stroke of apoplexy, on the 23d of October, 1855. He had been occupied the whole day, planting 
American trees, and himself directing his journeymen. He withdrew from his work in good health, 
