68 THE UNIVERSE. 



were only so many little animals or Polypi, analogous to 

 those of the madrepores; and which, like them, were really 

 the builders of the false stony shrub. 



Convinced of the exactness of his observations, Peysson- 

 nel in his turn disclosed them to the Academy of Sciences, 

 but the Academy, still fascinated by the coral flowers 

 which the Italian count had sent, gave no heed to the 

 discoveries of the French physician, and showed this in 

 the most delicate manner. 



Reaumur, having been commissioned by this learned 

 body to report upon the discovery, thought he ought not, 

 out of compassion, as he said, to name the author; and 

 when he acknowledged the receipt of his memoir, wrote 

 to him in a tone of pity and irony. But the position as- 

 sumed by the sedate and conscientious Barnard de Jussieu 

 Avas even more unpardonable. He addressed a letter to 

 Peyssonnel, without any silly raillery it is true, which was 

 indeed totally foreign to his character, but quite as dis- 

 couraging as that of the entomologist. De Jussieu was, 

 however, the more culpable of the two, for the most super- 

 ficial examination of the pretended coral flowers would 

 have shown him his mistake. All the fundamental parts 

 of the floral apj^aratus Avere wanting, but it appears the 

 botanist did not give himself the trouble to look at it. 



The affiiir made a great stir, and it became necessary, 

 nolens volens, to unravel it. As soon as it was cleared up, 

 men perceived that it was the simjDle country physician 

 who had been right and the Academy that had been wrong. 

 The coral flowers turned out to be only Polypi, and the 

 stony shrub a madrepore, sculptured and fashioned by 

 tiny marine animals. 



Such is the truth so far as regards the nature of coral. 

 Let us revert to the second error which tarnishes its history. 



