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ef Russia to entrust him with the education 
of the Grand Duke ; — a proposal accompa- 
nied with all the flattering offers that could 
tempt a man, ambitious of titles, or desirous 
of making an ample fortune : but the objects 
of his ambition were tranquillity and study. 
In the year 1765, he published his “ Disserta- 
tion on the Destruction of the Jesuits.’’ This 
piece drew upon him a swarm of adversaries, 
who only confirmed the merit and credit of 
his work by their maimer of attacking it. 
Beside the works already mentioned, he 
published nine volumes of memoirs and 
treatises, under the title of “Opuscules;” 
in which he has resolved a multitude of pro- 
blems relating to astronomy, mathematics, 
and natural philosophy ; of which his pane- 
gyrist, Condorcet, gives a particular account, 
more especially of those which exhibit new 
subjects, or new methods of investigation. 
He published also “Elements of Music,” 
and rendered, at length, the system of Ra- 
meau intelligible ; but he did not think the 
mathematical theory of the sonorous body 
sufficient to account for the rules of that 
art. In the year 1772 be was chosen Secre- 
tary to the French Academy of Sciences. 
He formed, soon after this preferment, the 
design of writing the lives of all the deceased 
academicians, from 1700 to 1772; and in 
the space of three years he executed this 
design, by composing 70 eulogies. 
The correspondence which D’Alembert 
held with eminent literary characters, and 
his constant intercourse with learned men of 
all nations, together with his great influence 
in the academy, concurred to give him a 
distinguished importance above most of his 
countrymen. By some, who were jealous 
of his reputation, he was denominated the 
Mazarin of literature ; but there seems now 
no doubt, but that his influence was obtain- 
ed by his great talents and learning, rather 
than by artful management and supple ad- 
dress. He was a decided and open enemy 
to superstition and priestcraft. Without 
inquiring into the merits of Christianity, he 
concluded that the religion taught in France 
W'as that which believers in general regarded 
as the true doctrine, and which he rejected 
as a fable, unworthy the attention of the 
philosopher. There is no reason to think 
that he ever studied the foundations on 
which natural and revealed religion were 
built ; and it is certain that he adopted a 
system of deified nature, which bereaves the 
world of a designing cause, and presiding 
intelligence. He was zealous even in pro- 
pagating the opinions which he adopted, 
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and might be regarded as an apostle of 
atheism. The eccentricity of his opinions 
did not destroy the moral virtues of his 
heart. A love of truth, and a zeal for the 
progress of real science and liberty, formed 
the basis of his character : strict probity, a 
noble disinterestedness, and an habitual'de- 
sire of being useful, were its distinguishing 
features. To the young who possessed 
talents and genius he was a patron and in- 
structor : to the poor and oppressed he be- 
came a firm and generous friend : to those 
who had shewn him kindness he never 
ceased to be grateful ; a sure evidence of a 
great mind. To two ministers who had be- 
fiiended him in their prosperity, he dedicat- 
ed works when they were in disgrace with 
the court. An instance of a kind, a grate- 
ful disposition, was displayed by D’Alembert 
m early life. His mother, who had infa- 
mously disowned and abandoned him, hear- 
ing of tire greatness of his talents, and of 
the promise which he gave of future cele- 
bnty, obtained an interview, and laid claim 
to the character of a parent. « What do I 
hear,” said the indignant youth, “ you are 
the mother-in-law, the glazier’s wife is my 
true mother:” for her, indeed, he never 
ceased to testify the affection and gratitude 
of a child ; and under her roof he resided, 
as we have seen, many years, till an 
alarming illness made it necessary for him 
to remove to a more airy lodging. D’Alem- 
bert maintained his high rank and reputation 
among mathematicians and philosophers till 
his death, in October 1783. His loss was 
deplored by survivors of every country, but 
his particular friends and associates exhibit- 
ed, on the occasion, every mark of grief 
which real and unaffected sorrow can alone 
supply for undissembled worth. 
ALEMBIC, in chemistry, a vessel usually 
niade of glass or copper, formerly used for 
distillation. The bottom, in which the sub- 
stance to be distilled is put, is called the 
cucurbit ; the upper part is called the head, 
the beak of which is fitted into the neck of 
the receiver. Retorts, and the common 
worm-still are now more generally employ- 
ed. See Chemistry, Distillation, &c. 
ALETRIS, in botany, a genus of the Hex- 
andna Monogynia class and order, of the 
natural order of Liliae or Liliace®, of which 
there are nine species; A. farinosa, or Ame- 
rican aletris, used by the natives in coughs, 
and in the pleurisy. Some of the species 
are natives of the Cape of Good Hope • 
others are found natural in Ceylon and 
Guinea. The A. zeylanica, or Ceylon aloe, 
