l^IRST PERIOD. 25 



science , for which he had imbibed a taste from 

 his father; and with such success, that he was ad- 

 mitted into the academy of sciences in 1723. 

 After the war, he abandoned the service , and on 

 being appointed to the intendance of the King's 

 Garden, devoted his whole time and attention 

 to the restoration of the establishment. He began 

 by repairing the disorders occasioned by the ne- 

 gligence of the preceeding administration. His 

 attention was principally directed to botany , and 

 he restored the place of keeper of the cabinet 

 to Bernard de Jussieu. He obtained from the go- 

 vernment funds for the necessary reparations ; 

 travelled into England and Holland , to establish 

 correspondances and collect specimens ; render- 

 ed permanent the office of demonstrator of 

 anatomy, and procured the appointment of J.- 

 F.-M. Duverney, nephew of the professor, about 

 the year 1736 : he also made considerable addi- 

 tions of rare and useful objects to the cabinet , 

 and augmented it by the gift of his own collec- 

 tion of precious stones. 



In 1739, he was attacked by the small-pox: 

 feeling his death approach , and wishing to com- 

 plete the services he had rendered to the esta- 

 blishment, by ensuring the continuance of its 

 prosperity , he penned a request to the ministry 

 that Buff on might be appointed his successor. 



