SECOND PERIOD. 53 



municating knowledge, as well as by the intro- 

 duction of his method, he has acquired a lasting 

 title to the admiration and gratitude of naturalists. 



Though Lemonnier was fully impressed with 

 the ability of M. de Jussieu, his interest in the 

 establishment, led him to wish that the two 

 places of professor and demonstrator should be 

 kept distinct ; he therefore resolved on retiring 

 with the title of honorary professor, as soon as he 

 could find a second person adap ted to his purpose. 

 With this view he had cast his eyes on M. Des- 

 fontaines, whose merit he appreciated, and whose 

 future reputation he foresaw ; but as he was not at 

 that time sufficiently known, Lemonnier thought 

 better to defer his project, and it was not until 

 1786 that he took steps for its accomplishment. 

 M. Desfontaines had then just returned from his 

 travels in Barbary, with the plants of which he 

 has since published the history ; he had also at- 

 tracted the attention of botanists by several excel- 

 lent memoirs, and had been admitted into the 

 academy of sciences. Lemonnier proposed him to 

 Buffon, who approved the choice. M. Desfontaines 

 wished to take the place of demonstrator, and 

 leave that of professor to M. de Jussieu , but the 

 latter preferred retaining the functions exercised 

 by his uncle during fifty five years. 



At the appointment of M. Desfontaines, the bo- 



