1799.] 
“© Objervations on the Fujibility of Stones by the 
Blow Pipe,” and directed fome experiments 
for afcertaining the height of ‘the bed of the 
Arve.f 
Having gone to Plombiers to ufe the baths 
of that place for the benefit of his health, he 
made obfervations on the mountains which he 
faw at a diftance, and caufed {pecimens of the 
ftrata which he pointed ont to be brought to 
him. He had announced that he would ter- 
minate his travels by giving his ideas relative 
to the primitive ftate of the earth. But the 
more he meditated upon that fubjeét, the more 
difficult he found it to form an opinion on thofe 
great revolutions which have happened to the 
globe. In general he was a Neptusian, that 
is to fay, he attributed the changes the earth 
has undergone to the operation ot water. He 
alfo admitted the poffibility, that elaftic fluids, 
in difengaging themfelves from fubterraneous 
cavities, might have raifed mountains, 
His health gradually declined; but he ftill 
preferved the hope of re-eftablifhing it. The 
French government had named him profeflor 
of experimental philofophy in the central 
{chool of Paris, and he did not defpair of being 
able to fulfil the duties of that honourable 
fituation. His ftrength, however, was daily 
exhauited, and a general torpor fucceeded to 
the vigour which he had always enjoyed. 
His flow and embarraffed pronunciation did not 
correfpond to the vivacity of his mind, and 
formed a ftrange contraft with the graceful 
animation by which he was formerly diftin- 
guifhed. It was a painful fpectacle to fee a 
great man thus fallen, at the age when me- 
ditation bears its richeft fruits, and when he 
would have enjoyed the glory of his labours. 
_ All the remedies which medicine, enliglt- 
ened by philofophy, could afford, were reforted 
to for his recovery, but in vain—every endea-~ 
vour was fruitlefs, Strength and life forfook 
him by flow and painful fteps. ‘Towards the 
‘end of the fixth year, his decay, he became 
more fenfible, and on the 3d Pluviofe, of the 
7th year, inthe sgth year of his age, he ter- 
minated his brilliant career, mourned by a fa- 
mily who loved him, by a country that ho- 
noured him, and by Europe, whofe knowledge 
he had extended. 
REVOLUTIONARY ANECDOTES. 
Interefting. and Original Anecdotes af the 
French Revolution ; to be continued ina 
regular feries from its commencement to 
the prefent period, and including its fecret 
hiftery. 
THE FALSE EMIGRANT. 
qt is fometimes prudent for a man to 
facrifice his fortune in order to pre- 
ferve his life. Reffegnier, advocate gene- 
ral in the parliament of Thouloufe, per- 

} Thefe papers were inferted inthe ** Four- 
nal de Phyfigue.” 
Original Anecdotes of the French Revolution. 
467 
ceiving that the clouds of profcription 
were gathering over’ the heads of all the 
members of that great body, which was 
not free from reproach, conceived a pro- 
ject fo extraordinary, that it ftands alone 
in the whole hiftory of revolutionary pro- 
ceedings. 
He determined to go and take refuge in 
Paris, in a ftreet near the Palais Royal ; 
that quarter of the town, though one of 
the mott fufpicious, appearing to him one 
of the leaft dangerous for fufpected per- 
fons; but at the fame time in order to turn 
afide fufpicion, he refolved to make it ap- 
pear that he had emigrated, and was refi- 
dent at London. For this purpofe, he 
contrived to get letters fent from England 
to his relations domiciliated at Paris. 
They were written entirely in his own 
hané, and contained an account of his 
mode of life in London, and of his con- 
nexions with other emigrants ; and entered 
into fuch minute and circumftantial de- 
tails, that they carried with them every 
appearance of truth and authority. 
Thefe letters were intercepted at Paris, 
where they remained in the office of the 
general police. 
After the fall of Roberfpierre, Reffeg- 
nier folicited his erafure from the lift of 
emigrants; and in fupport of his requett, 
prefented a certificate of uninterrupted 
refidence in France, figned by eight wit- 
nefles. Thofe witneffes were taken into 
cultody, as guilty of attefting a faltehood ; 
and the whole affair was fubmitted toa jury 
of acculation. Theoriginal letters written 
from London by Reffegnier were produced, 
particularly one of them dated a few days 
prior to the September maffacres, and the 
other at the beginning of the month of 
December following. The poft-mark on 
the outfide, and the details they ¢ontained, 
bore witnefs to their authenticity. 
On the other hand, feveral witnefles ap- 
peared, among whom were the tenant of 
the houfe, at which Reflegnier had taken 
refuge, and a notary public.of Vincennes, 
to whom the fuppoled emigrant had die- 
tated his laft will and teftament, on the 
very day on which his firft letter was 
written. This wiil was figned by the 
teftator, and was deteétive in none of the 
cuftomary for:ns of law. In order to leaye 
no doubt of hisyefidenceat Paris, he had re- 
paired on the day on which his fecond letter 
was dated, to the houfe of the fame notary 
at Vincennes, and had added a cadicil by 
which he bequeathed an annuity toan old 
domettic. 
Independently of thefe proofs, which 
afcertained 
