before not very confiderable property was 
fo much diminifhed, that he was no longer 
able to fupport his fon in the expenfive ca- 
pital. Young Méchain, therefore, that he 
might no longer be a burthen to his dif- 
trefled parents, and earn a fufficiency for 
his own fubfiftence, was obliged to ftrike 
into a new mode of life and path to prefer- 
ment. He accordingly left the fchool in 
Paris, and undertook the education of two 
young noblemen in the country, near Sens, 
diftant 30 French miles from Paris ; where- 
by he not only enfured to himfelf a liveli- 
hood, but was by rigid economy enabled 
to affift his parents. 
In the mean time his father’s circum- 
tances became daily worfe and worfe ; and 
he was under the neceffity of going to Pa- 
ris, tocarry on, again! poweriul oppo- 
nents and oppreffors, an expenfive law-luit, 
whieh at latt robbed him of all the little 
property he had remaining. It was the 
almoft defperate fituation, however, to 
which his father was thus reduced, which 
pave to the fortunes o! ovr Méchain a new 
and happy turn, and proved the occafion 
of bis devoting his future life to aftrono- 
my. Bythe lofsof his law-fuit the elder 
Méchain fell into the greateft diftrefs, not 
having a fuMicient fum left to defray the 
expences of his journey homeward. In 
this embarraflment he applied to his exc.1- 
lent fon; who however could not fupply 
him with ready money, havingalready given 
to his indigent father every penny he couid 
fpare. He therefore wrete to him with an 
aching heart, that he had left in the care of 
a friend at Paris an aftronomical quadrant; 
defiring bis father to fell it, and withthe 
money obtained from it to defray the ex- 
pences of his journey. Impelled by the 
mo{t preffing neceflity, the elder Méchain 
offered the inftrument for fale to Lalande. 
This eminent aftronomer bought the quad- 
rant; made inquiry of the feller reiative 
to its former poffeffors ; and became defi- 
rous of being perfonally acquainted with 
a young man, who merely from the love of 
the {cience, had been induced to expend his 
pocket-money in purchafing fuch an infiru- 
ment. Lalande expreffed this wifh with 
fuch warmth and zeal to the veneiable and 
unfortunate father, that young Méchain 
went to Paris, and prefented himf{elf be- 
fore the worthy patriarch of all attrono- 
mers. 
Lalande received the young man with 
his u‘ual politenefs and kindnefS geentered 
into converfation with him; and foon per- 
ceived that he had weil prepared himlelf 
for aftronomy, and acquired a fufficient 
fiock of preliminary mathematical and af- 
tronomical knowledge; and that, to per. 
Memoirs of Mechatn, 
149 
feét himfelf in that fcience, he only required 
to be properly directed and encouraged ; 
and that in him he fhould enlift under the 
banners of Aftronomy an adherent wha 
would one day be able to render the moft 
important fervices. And the fequel proved 
the jufinefs of this opinion. What aftro- 
nomer is ignorant of the ardent zeal with 
which Lalande glows for the promotion of 
the {cience to\ which he kas devoted him- 
felf! In him evcry man of talents and 
promifing gentus finds an admirer and pro- 
te&tor: and great is the number of learn- 
ed men whom he has affifted by word and 
deed, by facrificing his own interefts, and 
with money as far as lay in his power, 
Lalande fketched out for our Méchain a 
plan for purfuing his ftudies; communi. 
cated to him the proof fheets of the fecand 
edition of his Affranomee,* which was thenin 
the prefs, and which was publifhed in 1971, 
in 4 volumes; leat him books; gave him 
calculations to execure; and encourased 
him. frequently to write to and give him 
an account of the progrefs he had made. 
Quite enchanted by fo usexpected a recep. 
tion, Méchain returned to the country to 
his pupils; and applied wich ardent zeal - 
to the ftudy of aftronomy. A regular 
epiftolary correfpondence now commenced 
between the newly-eniifed aflronomer and 
his direStor and benefactor. Méchain fre-. 
quently addreffed himieif to his infrudtor 
for advice, and cemunicated to him his 
remarks, which more aod more betrayed 
a thinking mind, anda natural capacity 
for the {cience. In the fame proportion 
increated likewife Lalande’szealand friend 
fhip for this promifing youth. He fent 
him every new proof-fheet of his work, 
with the requeit, that he would favour him 
with his remarks on it, as thofe he had al- 
ready received had been found very proper 
and uf-ful; as thence he could bel judge, 
what fubjc& had not been treated of with 
fufficient 'per{picuity, and what difficulties 
beginners had moft to contend wich in the 
fiudy of that.work. Thus Lalande’s Af- 
tronomy was not a little improved as to a 
more perfpicuous and fyitematical manner 
of exolaining the fubject. 
A fhort t:me after this, when Lalande 
mace his cufiomary excurfion to his native 
town, Bourg en Breile, be took a circpi- 
tous way, merely for the purpofe of. vifi- 
ting our Méchain at the Chateau where he 
refided, and to animate him anew in the 
profecution of his itucies. He found the 
young aftronomer glowing with enthu- 

* Another proof, that Lalande’s writings 
(even while yet in the prefs) formed the moft 
eminent French aftronomers now living. 
fafm ; 

