448 
fame by artificial canals) was one of the 
moft powerful means of increafing the 
riches of a country, by facilitating its com- 
merce, and improving its agriculture ; in- 
vited fuch members as had any informa- 
tion to give or light to throw upon the 
fabject, to aid him in his ‘views on this 
topic of political economy. He informed 
the Inititute, that he had already publithed 
the plan of the commiffions he was about 
to eftabiifh upon the occafion. 
Citizens DeLaAMBRE and MECHAIN 
finifhed meaturing the bafe of Perpignan, 
in the laft complementary days of the year : 
the length of this meafured bafe only dif- 
agrees in thirteen centimeters (about five 
inches) with the length obtained by calcu- 
lation, in employing that which had been 
meafured at Melun; an aftonifhing agree- 
ment between the two lengths, each of 
%3,0c0 metres, feparated by a diftance of 
t50 leagues, and the whole fum made up 
of a great number of obfervations, each 
of which might have its fmall error. The 
Inftitute is occupied at this time with the 
fcientific perfons deputed by foreign pow- 
érs in calculating the laft refults of this 
grand undertaking. 
A member oblerved that heroic hiftory 
fpeaks of Ofiris, who marched, out of 
Egypt at the head of a powerful army, 
taking along with him men learned in agri- 
culture and the arts, in order to inftruét and 
civilize the favage peoplehe might vifit. No 
ether conqueror, he obferved, has followed 
this example till of late, and it was referved 
for France to prepare for hiftory a warlike 
expedition, which fhould equal thatot Of- 
ris, and carry back to the fevage borders 
of the Nile that knowledge of the arts, 
which is the principle of civilization, and 
of the greatnefs of nations. ‘* Scarcely,”” 
faid he, ‘* had the French hero fet his toot 
on the land.of Egypt, when, in the midft 
of the tumult of vitory, he founded an 
inftitute of the fciences and arts,” 
Public fitting on the ath of April, 17995 
xpen Subjects interefting to Literature, 
the Arts or Sciences, with critical Objfer- 
eations, remarkable Facts, Gc. 
After reading the reports upon the la- 
Bours of fome Members of the Inftitute 
during the laft three months ; a fecretary 
read, in the name of Citizen ANDRIEUX, 
a written Account of the Life and Works 
of the archite&t Deavaiily, in which the 
language of flattery, {o commonly adopt- 
ed by the ancient Academy,"was changed 
tor that of Ample of truth. On this occa- 
fion and fubject, a with was expreffed that 
franknels might one day be carried fo far 
National Inftitute, 4th of Fan. 1799: 
[ March 1, 
as to realize public judgtnent, made up 
of praife and blame, fuch as anciently ac- 
companied, as we are told, the funerals of 
the kings of Egypt. 
Citizn Duront de-Nemours, ina 
difcourfe full of that originality which al- 
ways characterifes his philanthropic pro- 
duétions, proved how infufficient was the 
number of primary {chools, fuppofing only 
one to be in every canton. He afked if it 
was reafonable to fubject two-thirds of the 
children of France to the inconvenience of 
travelling five leagues every day to acquire 
that knowledge, the pofleflion of which is 
neceflary after the twelfth year of the re- 
public, according to the conftitution, for - 
exercifing the rights of fovereignty as a 
citizen. “Ihe Citizen Dupont would have 
at’ leaft one of thele fchools in every com- 
mune; but fince the union of feveral de: 
partments, there are more than fitty thou- 
fand communes in the republic ; and where 
are fifty thoufand well-informed inftitutors 
to be found exempt from prejudices ; ina 
word, proper to dire&t the firft fteps of a 
republican adolefcence? This efteemed 
member expreffed a defire that they might 
be well'paid; and his obfervations and 
wifhes have given occafion to feveral wri- 
ters of confideration to take up the fubject. 
After the reading of two memoirs, the 
one of Citizen OLIVER, upon the varieties 
of the Climate of Egypt, and its influence 
upon the health; the other of Citizen Br- 
TAUBE’, upon the Judgments of fome 
Writers of Antiquity relative to the an- 
cientRepublics ;—Citizen CoLL1N- Har- 
LRVILLE read a narration in the way of 
dialogue, entitled the Three Virtues ; it is 
the apology of the three virtues which the 
theologians called the theological, Faith, 
Hope, and Charity, virtues of which only 
one is real,—the laft. It is that alfo which 
Citizen Collin moft happily defended ; he 
could not praife the other but by giving 
them a perverted fignification. In general 
it was remarked, that the amiable talents 
of this member were neceflary to give any 
charms toa fubjeét rather dry in its nature. 
The part of the fitting which excited the 
moft intereft, was the proclamation of thofe 
pieces which were to be crowned. 
Citizen ANDRIEUx explained the mo- 
tives which had determined the Inftitute to 
defer till next meeting the adjudication of 
the prize for poetry, that is, for the beft 
ode, epiftle, o: difcourfe in verfe upon Li- 
berty. Ifthe Inftitute, faid he, had been 
to judge of patriotifm, it would have had 
many crowns to confer. 
Citizen R@DERER, in another report, 
gave a clear, though rapid analyfis of the 
memoir, 
