l8 HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM. 



ture to a man of information, exclusively oc- 

 cupied with this charge. He made choice of 

 Sebastian Vaillant, who, after listening to Tourne- 

 fort in 1 69 1 , had renounced his place of sur- 

 geon at the Hotel -Dieu, to devote himself to 

 the study of plants. This young man, who was 

 afterwards elected to the academy of sciences, 

 zealously seconded the views of Fagon; and in 

 1708 was appointed by him subdemonstrator, 

 to supply the place of the professor , in case of 

 absence , and to conduct the herborisations of the 

 pupils in the country, for the purpose of making 

 them acquainted with indigenous plants. He also 

 undertook to increase the collection of drugs , 

 which was confided to his care and arranged for 

 study, and obtained funds for the construction 

 of two hot-houses. 



Vaillant formed a very considerable herbarium, 

 the genera of which were methodically arranged, 

 and the species, accompanied by tickets indi- 

 cating all the Synonyms then known. This herba- 

 rium, which at his death in 1722 was purchased 

 "by order of the king , forms the basis of that of 

 the Museum. 



What above all should save the name of 

 Vaillant from oblivion , is his first public dis- 

 course on assuming the functions of assistant pro- 

 fessor, in the absence of the principal ; in which 



