1HIB.D PERIOD. 83 



classed by M. Latreille, appointed assistant natu- 

 ralist in 1794 5 an d series of specimens in the 

 several branches were composed from among 

 the duplicates in the cabinet, for the schools of 

 the departments. All the parts of the establish- 

 ment were conducted with equal judgement and 

 zeal, because each was confided to a separate 

 chief; and its progressive movement was no 

 longer retarded. 



Nevertheless in October 1800, the professors 

 had reason to apprehend its ruin , from a measure 

 which the minister of the interior, brother of the 

 first consul, wished to extend to this in common 

 with other public institutions, viz. of appointing, 

 under the title of accountable administrator, a 

 director general, or intendant, charged with the 

 general administration , and the correspondence 

 with the government ; thus reducing the officers 

 of the Museum to the simple function of deliver- 

 ing lectures and preserving the collections. 



The professors made the strongest representa- 

 tions to the minister on this subject : they proved 

 that each part of the establishment required a 

 separate director; that the administration was 

 essentially linked with the instruction; that in- 

 tendants were always inclined to favour parti- 

 cular branches, and that they could not be ac- 

 quainted with all the parts of so vast a whole ; 



6. 



