Phimief. 45 
a proficient, that he wrote a book on the 
fubjed. Under Pere Maignan^ he alfd 
learned to make lenfes, mirrors, micro- 
fcopes, and other inftruments of philofo- 
phy ; and early acquired the arts of defign- 
ing and painting. He was foon after fent 
by his fuperiors to Rome^ where his clofe 
application to his ftudies, and to thefe arts, 
together with optics and mathematics, de- 
ranged his health. In this fituation, he 
fought for relaxation in the ftudy of botany^ 
under the lefliures of Pere Sergeant, iri 
a convent at Rome, and in the inftrucTtions 
of Francis Onuphriis, an Italian phy- 
fieian, and of Sylvius Boccone, a Sicilian. 
By thefe connexions, he was infenfibly led 
to devote himfelf to his new ftudy. Being 
recalled by his order into Provence^ he was 
placed in a convent near Hyeres, and ob- 
tained leave of his fuperiors to fearch the 
coafts of that country, and the neighbour- 
ing Alps, for plants. At this time, he con- 
ceived a defign of forming a new Pinax^ or 
General Hiftory of Vegetables/' for which 
he had made m.any drawings, and colledted 
materials; but his fubfequent deftination 
Vol, IL E prevented 
