700 
‘with’ thinking, that’I shall soon de- 
scend thither myself?” - He has de- 
scended, surrounded by your regrets 
—accompanied with the sorrow of all 
—followed by the public esteem. He 
has descended with all the courage that 
philosophy could inspire, with all the- 
resignation that religion alene pro- 
duces; he died at once like a sage and 
a Christian, 
** May he, inthat: Heaven in which 
he had such an entire reliance, rejoin 
the objecis of his love, and experience 
in that territory which has now com- 
menced for him, the reward of sixty 
years replete with virtues!” 
‘* Floge Historique de M. Lassus, 
&e.” The historical Eulogium on M. 
Lassus, pronounced before the Institute 
in 1809, by M. Cuvier. ¥e 
Peter Lassus, librarian and secre- 
tary to the Institute, as well as pro- 
fessor of pathology in the School ef 
eMedicine, and consulting surgeon te the 
emperor, was born at Paris on the 
Lith of April, 1741. \ His father was 
also a surgeon of reputaticn, and he 
himself being destined to the same 
profession, soon becatne demonstrator 
of anatomy to the .Academy of Sur- 
gery. ~ Having obtained’ great repu- 
tation, he was nominated m1771,° sur- 
geou in ordinary to Jfesdames Victoire 
and Sophie de France, daughters of 
Louis XV. 
Being called in soon after to bleed 
Madame Victoire, he punctured the 
arm twice without effect, ou which all 
the courtiers exclaimed, ‘** that it was 
horrible!” and hoped: that he would 
be imstantly dismissed with ignominy. 
But the princess was more generous as” 
well as more wise; she recoilected the 
lady during the time of Louis XILY. 
who being wounded to death by her 
surgeon, bequeathed him a pension, 
because she justly ‘imagined that no 
other patient would ever call him in; - 
and as her highness was let off mote 
easily, so she also was more liberal. 
Not deeming it proper to retain M. 
Lassus about her person, she yet eua- 
bled him to purchase the place of 
Lienienant de premier Chirurgien du 
Roi « Paris, in 1779, and thus.a man 
‘who had not been cpnsidered proper 
fora subaltern employment at court, 
was placed at the head of the surgical 
department of the capital, and: M. 
.Lassus, who might have been ruimed 
_by the accident just alluded to, was 
2 9 , 
Retrospect of French: Literature—Miscellanies. 
indebfed to it as the chief source of 
his future fortune and reputation. _ 
His benvefactress, on the other hand, 
was not without her reward, for Las- 
sus, with a gratitude but little com- 
mon in courts, became attached to her 
fortunes, accompanied her and her 
sviie to Italy, and resided with them 
for a considerable time at Rome. At 
length the operations of the French 
armies, rendering the employment of 
cood and skilful surgeons necessary, 
he was recalled by Fourcroy, and no- 
minated to a conspieuous. situation in 
the New School of Medicine establish. 
ed in the capital, hile occupying a 
chair there, he published his ‘* Medi- 
cine Operatoire,”’ and his ** Pathologie 
Chirurgicale,” for the use -of his pu- 
ils. 
‘ His conduct in respect to a French 
princess has been already noticed, and 
it ought not to be here omitted, that 
being left by the death of bis father 
the sole support of a mother and two 
sisters, he determined from that mo- 
ment never to have any other family. 
One of these sisiers could not survive 
his loss, which occurred after a severe 
malady ef only a few days continu- 
ance, and followed him soon afler in 
1807, to the grave. 
MISCELLANIES. 
“ Tableau Hisiorigue & Pittores- 
que de Paris, &c.” - An Historical and 
Picturesque Description of Paris, from 
the Time of theGauls tothe presentDay. 
This superb work, in which every 
part ofthe French metropolis is at 
once: described and engraved in a. 
splendid manuer, is published in parts, 
or livraisons.. No less than six dif- 
ferent plans of Paris, and some hun. 
dreds of fronts, views, and elevations, 
are contained in these expensive vo- 
lumes. ; 
“¢ Lettre A. M. Cl Xav. Girault, 
juris consulte, &e.”? A Letter to M. 
Cl. Xav.Girault, a lawyer, and ancient 
magistrate, ex naise of Auxonne, &c, 
relative to his historical notice con- 
cerning the ancestors of Jacques-Be- 
nigne Bossuet, and the place of his 
birth. ‘ ) ae. . 
M. Girault having discovered in the 
parish register of Auxonne, the entry 
-of the birth of Benigne Bossuet, who © 
was born in 1597, thought that this 
. Benigne could be no- other than the 
father of the celebrated Jacques-Be- 
" nigue Bossnet, bishop of Mcaux, H e- 
| , ie 5 RS 
