30 



LAMARCK, HIS LIFE AND WORK 



the decree of the loth of June, in spite of its im- 

 portance to science and higher learning in France, 

 was passed without discussion. 



In his Lamarck De Mortillet states explicitly 

 that Lamarck, in his address of 1790, changed the 

 name of the Jardin du Roi to Jardin des Plantes* 

 As the article states, " Entirely devoted to his studies, 

 Lamarck entered into no intrigue under the faUing 

 monarchy, so he always remained in a position strait- 

 ened and inferior to his merits." It was owing to 

 this and his retired mode of hfe that the single- 

 minded student of nature was not disturbed in his 

 studies and meditations by the Revolution. And 

 when the name of the Jardin du Roi threatened to be 

 fatal to this establishment, it was he who presented 

 a memoir to transform it, under the name of Jardin 

 des Plantes, into an institution of higher instruction, 

 with six professors. In 1793, Lakanal adopted La- 

 marck's plan, and, enlarging upon it, created twelve 

 chairs for the teaching of the natural sciences. 



Bourguin thus puts the matter : 



" In June, 1793, Lakanal, having learned that ' the 

 Vandals' (that is his expression) had demanded of the 

 tribune of the Convention the suppression of the Royal 

 Garden, as being an annex of the king's palace, recurred 

 to the memoirs of Lamarck presented in 1790 and gave 

 his plan of organization. He inspired himself with La- 

 marck's ideas, but enlarged upon them. Instead of 

 six positions of professors-administrative, which La- 



* This is seen to be the case by the title of the pamphlet : MJmoire 

 sur les Cabinets d'Histoire Naturelle, et particulihrement sur celui 

 du Jardin des Plantes. 



