204 The Life and Writings of M. Desfontaines. 



that the two latter of these protegees of Lemonnier finished their ca- 

 reer, and the history of learning alone remains to testify to this be- 

 neficence. 



Desfontaines was the favorite pupil, and sooh become the intimate 

 fi-iend of Lemonnier ; their dispositions simple and amiable, both de- 

 voted to the love of Science and truth, created between them a pow- 

 erful tie, notwithstanding the difference of their ages : it was through 

 this connexion that Desfontaines enjoyed such intimate relations with 

 Malesherbes, Duhamel, Denainvilliers, Fougeroux, &;c. all of whom 

 brought to the study of the natural sciences, the mildness and mod- 

 esty of their manners ; he received also encouragement and assist- 

 ance from Ant. Laur. de Jussieu, who, several years, older than 

 himself had just succeeded his uncle Bernard in the professorship of 

 the King's Garden. 



Thus situated in the midst of the most distinguished Botanists of 

 the age, Desfontaines was able to conciliate their esteem and affec- 

 tion. In 1783 he was chosen a member of the Academy of Sci- 

 ence. This title which he has since rendered so illustrious, was at 

 that time bestowed upon him for labors which his own modesty, 

 judged unworthy of it ; — his memoirs on Tithonia and Ailanthus, 

 and that on the irritability of the sexual organs, which have since 

 been pubhshed, are the best of those which he presented on that oc- 

 casion. His election however was far fi'om being a favor ; he was 

 evidently the most skillful botanist of the day, but he had devoted all 

 his time to the study of plants, and very little to the publication of 

 his works. 



Faithful to this method, scarcely had he entered the Academy, 

 when instead of making it a pretext for repose, he sought out the 

 means of rendering himself more usefid to science. He obtained 

 the funds necessary for a botanical voyage, and encouraged by his 

 countryman De Kercy, then consul at Algiers, he determined on 

 exploring the coast of Barbary, from the frontiers of Tripoli to 

 those of Morocco, namely, the countries of Algiers and Tunis ; — 

 these regions, notwithstanding their proximity, were in fact, but little 

 known. Dr. Shaw v/as the only naturalist who had visited them and 

 botany constituted but a subordinate portion of his researches. This 

 project was agreed to by the Academy, and Desfoniaines set out from 

 Marseilles for Tunis on the 6th of August, 1783. He remained two 

 years in the Regency of Tunis and Algiers, visited chem in all their 

 extent from the sea shore to the summits of Atlas and even that zone 



