28 
MEMOJR OF LAMARCK. 
the king’s cabinet. Although the emolument aris- 
ing from this office was inconsiderable, and the 
tenure of it uncertain and invidious, for the National 
Assembly were called upon to suppress it as un- 
necessary, he continued to hold it for several years, 
till a change occurred which opened new prospects 
and entailed new duties. This happened in 1793, 
when the establishment known by the name of the 
king’s garden and cabinet were remodelled and dis- 
tinguished by the title of Museum of Natural 
History. The professors of the suppressed institu- 
tion were appointed to superintend such departments 
taught in the new, as most nearly corresponded to 
their previous occupations; and as Lamarck was 
the last appointed, he was obliged to take charge of 
that branch unappropriated by the others, which 
happened to be the two extensive classes of the 
animal kingdom, named Insecta and Vermes by 
Linnams. 
A new direction was thus given to his studies, 
for zoology as a science had hitherto occupied but 
little of his regard. Indeed, the only knowledge of 
this subject which he possessed, directly available 
in his new station, seems to have been limited to 
Testaceous Mollusca, which attracted his attention 
at a pretty early period. But the occasion was 
just such a one as was best calculated to excite 
the natural ardour and energy of his character. He 
entered upon this new field of inquiry with the 
utmost eagerness, and cultivated it with so much 
skill and facility, that he was soon in a condition 
