MEMOIR OP DAUBENTON. 
213 
and tremulous voice become reanimated, and acquire 
strength and energy, when he wished to impress on 
their minds some of those great principles which are 
the result of the meditations of genius, or when he was 
merely explaining to them some useful truths. 
He had not more pleasure in speaking to them than 
in listening to what they said. He lent a ready ear to 
all their questions, which afforded him the greatest 
pleasure. He forgot his years and weakness whenever 
he thought he could he useful to the youth around him, 
and when he had any duty to perform. 
One of his colleagues having offered, when he was 
appointed a senator, to assist him in teaching : “ My 
friend,” he replied, “ no one could fill my place better 
than you : when age shall force me to give up my la- 
bours, be assured that I will devolve them on you.” He 
was then eighty-three years of age. 
Nothing can afford a better proof of his zeal for 
study, than the pains he took to keep pace with the 
progress of science, and to avoid imitating those pro- 
fessors, who, when once settled in a place, merely repeat 
the same thing every year. At eighty years of age, he 
has been heard explaining the discoveries of one of his 
old pupils, M. Haiiy; forcing himself to understand 
them, that he might give an account of them to the 
youth whom he taught. This example is so rare among 
philosophers, that it may perhaps bo considered one of 
the most beautiful traits in Daubenton’s character. 
During the ephemeral existence of the Normal School 
