166 Foreign Literature and Science. 



them a present of a cow, which was received in triumph. 

 A cordial emulation animates them ; the greater portion of 

 them read correctly and know Robinson by heart. It was 

 feared that in such an exile, the little pioneers would regret 

 the comforts and varied occupations, amusements and ad- 

 vantages of Hofwyl; far from this, they prefer their poor and 

 wild Robinsoniere, as the place is surnamed. They are proud 

 of witnessing the effects of their own industry, and enjoy at 

 once what they have accomplished, and what they have in 

 anticipation. 



Oh that it were in my power to bestow upon France such 

 a school of poor children as that of Hofwyl. A good teacher 

 is the soul of it ; but nature is avaricious of such men as M. 

 de Fellenberg, and Vehrlis are not produced at pleasure ; 

 much time is necessary for a young man to be informed of 

 all that is important to know, in order to become duly pene- 

 trated with the wholesome and fruitful ideas, with the modest, 

 mild, persevering and religious sentiments which are requisite 

 to the functions of a teacher of the poor. — M. De B. Idem. 



10. NECROLOGY. De La Place, (Piere Simon,) Peer 

 of France, Member of the Institute, Academy of Sciences, 

 died at Paris, March 5, 1827. — Science and Letters have 

 just sustained a grievous loss. M. De la Place has yielded to 

 a malady, which it was hoped would have terminated favor- 

 ably, but neither the assistance of art, skilfully employed, nor 

 the attentive cares of a beloved wife, could arrest the pro- 

 gress of a disease which fastened itself upon the debility pro- 

 duced by age. His friends and illustrious confederates ac- 

 companied his remains to their last abode, and scattered a 

 few flowers upon his tomb. The Academy of Sciences has 

 lost its greatest ornament ; and the sceptre of astronomy, 

 physics, and mathematics has fallen from the hands which 

 were so worthy of bearing it. Let us hope, nevertheless, that 

 it will not depart from France, and that one of the celebrated 

 compeers of our great academician will be judged capable of 

 receiving it. The art which he so well possessed, of treating 

 profound subjects with elegance and clearness, had gained 

 for him the suffrages of men of letters, and the French Aca- 

 demy, over which he presided, feels all that it has lost, though 

 it has found a worthy successor to the illustrious deceased in 

 M. Fourier. All the governments which have succeeded each 

 other in France, have in their turns, been well aware of the im- 



