66 HISTORY OF THE MUSEUM. 



turier , intendant of the king's domains in that 

 city, offered them by order of the minister to 

 M. de Saint-Pierre : but as he had neither con- 

 venient places for their reception , nor means of 

 providing for their subsistence , he prevailed on 

 M. Couturier to keep them, and immediately ad- 

 dressed a memoir to the government, on the im- 

 portance of establishing a menagerie in the gar- 

 den. This address had the desired effect, and pro- 

 per measures were ordered to be taken for the 

 preservation of the animals, and their removal 

 to the Museum ; which however was deferred 

 till eighteen months after. 



A decree of the legislative assembly, of the 18th 

 of August 1792, having suppressed the universi- 

 ties, the faculties of medecine, etc., there was 

 reason to fear that the King's Garden would be 

 involved in the proscription ; but as it was consi- 

 dered as national property, and as visitors of 

 all classes were equally well received ; as the 

 people believed it to be destined for the culture 

 of medicinal plants , and the laboratory of che- 

 mistry to be a manufactory of saltpetre, it was 

 respected. 



Still a disorderly faction , rendered formidable 

 by its triumph of the 3ist of May, threatened 

 every vestige of the monarchy. An institution of 

 which the officers had been appointed by the 



