o-l-l: I In Ann ricd II ( i i i )l i xj i sf , l)i-criiih.T, IS'.U 
st'k'iilibts ill this coiiiiti'v tliroiitili tlic coiirtfuiis kiiidliiics^ of liis 
demeanor, no less tliiiii tliiouirli tlic earnestness of liis zeal. Al- 
tliouirli ''lit about eleven years of his life were spent in the Inited 
States, eoming to this count iv wholly unknown and without 
recommendations oi- introduction, he entered upon a career whicli 
.soon conducted him into the favoraltle consideration of the hi<rli- 
est authorities of the (Jovernnieiit at Washiiiiiton. and when he 
died he was in the service of the l)iireau of Topographical En- 
ijineers. 
Born in France, wlii'iice also came (iu\()t. and Ajiassiz and 
•Les(iiu'reux. a l)rilliant group whose illumination the nineteenth 
century will always l)ear. he also brought to America and consi'- 
crated to her service a ripe education an<l great skill in manipula- 
tion of scientific methods. lie was born in IT'.Hi at (Muses, in 
Savoy, between (reneva and 3Iont Hlanc. and died Sei)t. IH, 
1 S-lo. probably at the house of I'rof. l)ncatel. in Ualtiinore. Md. 
In boyhood he was ol)liged. through the poverty of his parents, 
to earn some portion of his livelihood. The musical ability which 
he displayed in later life. l)y which he enliveni'd the households 
of general Sibley and of Indian agent Taliaferro, at Fort Snel- 
ling, seems to have marked out for him the most successful means 
of gaining such subsistence. With a tlute or a violin, at the 
tender age of ten years, he pla3'ed at such public or private enter- 
tainments as needed his services. He subsecpiently was appren- 
ticed to a watch-maker, and remained with him until he was 
eighteen years of age. While carrying on this occupation at 
Chambrv he prosecuted his studies in mathematics, in which he 
became so proficient that he was awarded a i)rize. neturning to 
Clnses he taught mathematics, and at the same time received les- 
.sons in Latin and other languages. After two years he ri'paired to 
Paris where he was admitted to tiie first class in L'KcoleXor- 
male: and soon afterwards he was placeil in charge of the mathe- 
matical course in the college of •Louis le (Jrand." 
•It was in ISIS that Nicollet published his celebrated letter to 
>[. Outreqnin Banciuier. on -Assurances having for their basis 
the proi>able duration of human life.' This littU' work gained 
for him a high reputation, attording to tiie Assurance Societies 
the prospect of establishing their regulations in)on the more cer- 
tain basis of mathematical demonstration, and he soon found 
himself courted by financiers, while at the same time he was ad- 
