454 
life, and perhaps faved him. He was’ 
preifingly folicited to take this ftep; he 
obftinately refufed, however, and rather 
than fully his reputation by even the 
appearance of fear, he chofe to remain at 
his poft, and furrender himfelf to the 
fatellites of Robefpierre, who fent him, 
together with Briffot and his virtuous 
colleagues, to the {caffold, on the 31ft of 
Otober, 1793. 
VatazZe’ heard his fentence of death 
‘pronounced with fang froid, and without 
complaining. He had anticipated it, and 
provided himfelf with a poignard, with 
which he ftruck himfelf in the court 
before his execrable judges, ,who were 
covered with the blood of this wife and 
virtuous man. In fine, he died with all 
the enthufiafm of the moft higl+-fpirited 
Republican. 

LirE or CHarirfs BONNET, OF 
GENEVA. 
This celebrated philofopher was born 
at Geneva, on the 13th day of March, 
in the year 1720. His anceftors, who 
were compelled toemigrate from France, 
imethe “year 1672, after, the dreadful 
flanghter of St. Bartholomew’s day, 
eftablifhed themfelves at Geneva. His 
grandfather was advanced to the magif- 
tracy, in that city, and he adorned an 
eminent ftation. His father, who pre- 
ferred the ftation of a private citizen, 
paid unremitted attention to the educa- 
tion of hisfon. MM. Bonner recom- 
penfed, at a very early period, his fa- 
ther’s affiduity, by the amtablenefs of 
his difpofition, and the rapid progrefs he 
made in general literature. When he 
was about fixteen years of age, he applied 
himfelf, with great eagernefs, to the pe- 
rufal of Le Speéfacle de la Nature, and 
this work made fuch a deep impreffion on 
his mind, that it may be faid to have. di- 
re€ted the tafte and the ftudies of his fu- 
ture life. What that publication had 
commenced, was confirmed by the work 
of La Pluche; but having accidentally 
feen the treatife of Reaumur upon infects, 
he was in a tranfport of joy. He was 
very impatient to procure the book, but, 
as tne only copy in Geneva belonged to a 
public library, and as the librarian was 
reluctant to entruft it in the hands of a 
youth, it was with the utmeft difficulty 
that he could obtain his end. 
By the poflefiion of this treafure, our 
affiductus youth was. enabled to make 
feveral new and curious experiments, 
which he communicated to Reaumur 
himfelf; and the High applaufe he 
gained, from fo great a naturalift, added 
-frefh vigour to his affiduity, 
~ 
Irby 
Original Anecdotes —Life of Bonnet. 
| June, 
In compliance with his father’s defires, 
he applicd himfelf, though with much 
reluétance, to the ftudy of the law. 
The works of Burlamagu pleafed him 
the moft, on account of the perfpicuous 
and philofophic manner in which the 
fubjeét was treated; the inftitutes of 
Heineccus gave him tome'courage alfo, as _ 
he perceived order-and connection ; but 
the Roman Law terrified him as the 
Fiydva of Lerna. Notwitftanding his ap- 
plication to thefe authors, he ftill conti- 
nued attached to natural hiftory, and was 
very active in making experiments. 
The experiments which demonftrate that 
tree-lice propagate without copulation, 
was communicated by Reaumur to the 
Academy of Sciences, and this cireum- 
ftance occafioned an eptftolary correfpon - 
dence between M. Bonner and that 
great naturalit. This was, doubtlefs, 
very flattering to a youth of twenty 
years. The letter of Reaumur was ac- 
companied swith a prefent of that very 
book which he had borrowed, with fo 
much difficulty, two years before. 
Animated by fuch diftinguithed marks 
of approbation, he diligently emoloyed 
every moment he could fteal froia the findy 
of juriforudence to the completion of his 
natural hiftory of the tree-loufe; to ex- 
periments on the refpiration of caterpil- 
lars and butterfies, which he difcovered 
tobe effeGted by ftigmata, or lateral pores ; 
to an examination of the conftru€tion of 
the fzzea,. or tapeworm; im frequent 
correfpondence with Reaumur ; and. in 
affifting Trembley in his difcoveries, and 
publication, concerning millepedes, &c. 
Having, in the year 1743, obtained the 
degree of Doctor of Laws, he relinquifh- 
ed a purfuit which he had commesced 
with fo much reluctance. Inthe fame 
year he was- admitted a fellow of the 
Royal Society, to which he had commu. 
nicated a treatife on infe€ts, 
BONNET being now liberated from 
his other purfuits, applied himfelf, with- 
out intermiffion, to collecting together 
his experiments and obfervations concern- 
ing the tree-loufe and the worm, which 
he publifhed in 1744, under the title of 
Infectology. This work acquired deferved 
approbation from the public, and was 
honoured by the commendation of the 
celebrated B: de Juffieu. He: was re- 
proached, however, in a periodical pub- 
lication, with having paid too little at- 
tention to the delicacy of his reader; 
though his patience and accuracy were 
acknowledged to be deferving of praife.~ 
Such unremitted application and labour 
could not fail of becoming injurious to 
his health. Infamations, neryous ee 
Ore 
