l6a VOYAGE TO MADAGASCAR* 



that gentleman, diftingiiiflied by his vir- 

 tues and knowledge, miifl have been. Ic is 

 to his indefatigable zeal that France will 

 foon be indebted for the advantage of 

 fharing with Holland in the rich commerce 

 of fpiceries* If this fervice be not forgot- 

 ten by future generations, the difficulties 

 and trouble which that refpcSiable citizen 

 experienced, will ferve to make his me- 

 mory more xUuftrious. Always ardently 

 anxious for the progrefs of knowledge and 

 ufeful refearches, he never fuffered any op- 

 portunity of diiFufmg inftru£tion to cfcape 

 him* He confidered it as one of the firft 

 duties of an admuiiftrator, to exercife and 

 excite the emulation of all thofe in whom 

 he perceived talents which he thought 

 might be cultivated with advantage. He 

 profited, above all, by thofe of the celebrated 

 Commerfon. That learned naturalifl had 

 accompanied M. de Bougainville in his 



voyage 



