THIRD PERIOD. 63 



ready begun at court, he could not with the 

 least prospect of success demand extraordinary 

 funds ; and the establishment had become too 

 extensive for the form of administration in use 

 in the time of Buffon. 



On the 20th of August 1790, M. Lebrun made 

 a report in the name of the committee of finances 

 of the constitutant assembly, on the state of the 

 King's Garden, in which its expenses were es- 

 timated at 92,222 francs ; 12,777 francs being 

 for necessary repairs. This report , which was 

 the signal for a new organisation , was followed 

 by the draught of a decree proposing the reduc- 

 tion of the intendant's salary from 12,000 to 8,000 

 francs; the suppression of several places, particu- 

 larly that of commandant of the police of the gar- 

 den ; an increased stipend to some of the pro- 

 fessors ; the creation of a chair of natural his- 

 tory, etc., etc. 



During the discussion, the president of the as- 

 sembly received an address from the officers of 

 the King's Garden — for thus the keepers and 

 demonstrators of the cabinet, the professors, and 

 the painter were denominated ; the reasonable 

 views of which being approved by the assembly, 

 it was submitted to the comittee of finances, and 

 the definitive report adjourned , in order to re- 

 ceive a plan of organisation for the institution, In 



