(Ore 3 
[ Feb, 1), 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
Se ‘ 
THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF 
FRANCE. 
-EXTRACT of the REGISTERS of the CLASS ~ 
of PHYSICAL antd MATHEMATICAL 
SCIENCES.—sITTING of 9fh THERMI- 
DOR, YEAR 10, oat 
“NITIZEN VeNTENAT read in his 
own name, and in the name of Citi- 
zens JussisU and DesFONTAINES, the 
following Report, on different labours in 
botany, of Criizen PolTEau. 
The commiflaries defignated by the clafs 
to take knowledge of the colleétions, de- 
figns, and manufcripts of citizen Poiteau, 
conceive that they ought to introduce 
their report with a fuccinét notice on this 
voyage. The Inftitute, which every day 
encourages and patronizes the efforts of 
thofe who cultivate the fciences, will, 
doubtlefs, applaud the fuccefs that a per- 
fon, deftitute of the firft principles of in- 
ftruction, till the age of twenty-five years, 
has obtained to, in one of the moft exten- 
five and moft difficult branches of natural 
hiftory. Their aftonifiment will increafe 
on learning that this fame perfon, obliged 
inceffantly to ftruggle againit obitacles of 
every kind, but fupported by an: indefati- 
gable zeal, deferves to hold a diftinguifhed 
place among the naturalifts, who, in pain- 
ful voyages undertaken for the advance- 
ment of the {cience, have contributed the 
moft to its progrefs. 
Citizen Poiteau was, in 1792, the gar- 
dener’s boy in the Mufeum of Natural 
Hiftory. in following the courle of bo- 
tany, he perceived that there was a furer 
method to name the plants, than that of 
confidering them attentively, of catching 
their image, and of engraving them. 
Convinced that the happieft memory could 
not embrace the characters of a number 
of vegetables fo confiderable as what is 
fhewn in the. Garden of Plants, he re- 
folved to learn the Latin tongue, in order 
to beable to comprehend, and to confult, 
uponoccafion, the authors who have writ- 
ten in that Janguage upon botany. He 
procured a French and Latin Dictionary, 
and the elementary work, known under 
the name of Rudimeut. His hours of re- 
creation were entirely confecrated to ttudy ; 
and the very time which he employed in 
- Jnanual labours, was not loft for his in- 
ftruétion. While digging in the ground, 
while carrying about his water-pots, he 
was declining nouns, conjugating verbs, 
and trying to conftrue fentenices. 
daflly,atter having cultivated (himfelf 
And, 
alone, during feven or eight months) the 
happy difpofitions that he had received 
from nature, he obtained fuccefs propor- 
tioned to his affiduous efforts, and he could 
read and underftand the Sjffema Vegetabi- 
lium of Murray. 
The deigns of the firft artifts, expofed 
during the fittings of the courles of bota- 
ny, and intended to ferve to the demon- 
firation of the genera, and of the fpecies 
that are not cultivated in the Garden of 
the Mufeum, proved to Poiteau the utility 
of this art, which renders objects fenfible, 
and the practice of which, is, unfortunate- 
ly, not familiar enough to thofe who de- 
vote themfelves to the ftudy of natural hif- 
tory.. Convinced of its importance, Poi- 
teau applies to it with all the affliduity he 
is capable of ; he will not have to regret 
the lofs of fome valuable time in making 
bad copies of excellent originals. Nature 
alone was his matter. He began, at firft, 
with diftin& parts- of leaves, branches, 
ftalks, and he afterwards actempted to re- 
prefent the en/emble of all thofe parts, by 
defigning entire plants: His progrefs was 
rapid ; and the numerous defigns which he 
has brought from St. Domingo, will obtain 
the approbation of botanilts, and the en-. 
couragement of coniummate artifts. 
Voyages into remote countries, to col- 
leé&t there the objects which are wanting in 
the collection of the Mufeum, have, for a 
long time, been the recompence that the 
profeffors of this eftablifhment confer on 
the young gardeners that have diftin- 
guifhed themlelves by their zeal and by 
their progrefs. Poiteau earneftly coveted 
this flattering mark of the fatisfaétion of 
his employers, and it was affigned to him. 
Appointed to go to St. Domingo, in the 
year 4,.in the. fuite of the particular 
agents of that colony, the joy which he 
felt in learning that he fhould quickly tra~ 
verfe that ifle where the Plumiers, the 
Jacquins, the Swartzes, &c. have made 
{uch abundant harvefts, caufed him to 
negleét the informing himfelf before-hand 
what was the falary which Government | 
was to allow him. ° On his arrival at St. - 
Domingo, he found, but too late, that a 
voyager ought not to quit his country, 
‘without knowing the retources he can ap- 
ply to in the country which he propofes te 
vifit. The particular agents differed in | 
opinion among themfelyes as to the utility 
of his miffion; and not being able to 
agree as to procuring him the means 
‘whereby he was to carry on his refearches,” 
they refufed him every fort of appointment, 
Poiteau, 
