REAUMUR, Rene Antoine Ferchaolt, Sieor de, a person distinguished for his laborious researches in natural science, was born at Rochelle in 1683, being descended of a family belonging to the law. After having finished his early studies in the place of his birth, he began a course of philosophy at Poitiers, and one of civil law at Bourges; but he soon relinquished the latter to apply himself to mathematics, physics, and natural history. Having come to Paris, he was received into the Academy of Sciences in 1708. From that hour he was wholly employed in natural history, to which his inclination particularly led him; and his inquiries were not confined to any one part of the subject. His memoirs, his observations, his discoveries on the formation of shells, spiders, muscles, the marine flea, the berry which affords the purple colour, and on the cause of the numbness of the torpedo, excited the curiosity of the public, and early procured our author the character of an able, curious, and entertaining naturalist. Filled with zeal for the welfare and advantage of society, and for the progress and perfection of arts, he endeavoured in all his researches to promote the public good. The public were indebted to him for the discovery of the turquois mines in Languedoc. He also foιmd out a substance, now used to give false stones a colour, which is obtained from a certain fish called in the French able or ablete on account of its whiteness, and which is the bleak or blay of our writers. His experiments on the art of turning iron into steel obtained him a pension of twelve thousand livres; and this reward was to be continued to the Academy to support the expense which might accrue in this art.

He continued his inquiries on the art of making tin and porcelain, and endeavoured to render our thermometers more useful than those of former times. He composed a curious history of rivers where gold-dust is found in France; and he gave so simple and so easy a detail of the art of gathering this dust, that persons have been employed for that purpose. He also made curious and important observations on the nature of flints; on the banks of fossil shells, whence is obtained in Touraine an excellent manure for land; and likewise on birds and their preservation, on their method of building nests, on insects, and a great number of other subjects, not less curious than useful.

He at first imagined that a certain varnish would keep eggs fresh; but the waste of time and money showed him the inconvenience of such a process. He afterwards adopted the method practised from time immemorial in Greece and the islands of the Archipelago, which is to steep or im[7:19:81]merse eggs in oil or melted fat; by which means, not being exposed to the air or to frost, they are well preserved, and contract no bad taste or smell. Another experiment, still more important, made by our author, was to introduce into France the art of hatching fowls and birds, as practised in Egypt, without covering the eggs. Active, sedulous, and attentive, he was early in his study, often at six in the morning. Exact in his experiments and observations, he let no circumstance escape him. His writings must be of great use to future philosophers. In society he was distinguished through life for his modest and agreeable behaviour. His probity, benevolence, goodness of heart, and other amiable qualities, as well natural as acquired, endeared him to his countrymen. He died in the seventy-sixth year of his age, on the 18th of October 1757, and left this world filled with sentiments of piety. His death was the consequence of a fall, which happened at the castle of Bar-nardière on the Maine, where he went to pass his vocation. He bequeathed to the Academy of Sciences his manuscripts and all his natural productions. His works are, 1. A very great number of memoirs, and observations on different parts of natural history, printed in the collections of the Academy of Sciences; and, 2. A large work printed separately in six vols. 4to, entitled a Natural History of Insects. This important work contains a description of vast numbers of caterpillars, moths, gall-insects, flies with two and four wings, lady-birds, and those ephemeron flies which live only in that form a few hours; and, lastly, of those singular and wonderful insects which are called polypes, which being cut into several pieces, each piece lives, grows, and becomes an insect, and affords to our eyes a great number of prodigies. The works of M. de Reaumur are exact, curious, interesting, and exceedingly ingenious. They are written with much candour, clearness, and elegance; but it must be acknowledged that his manner is somewhat too diffuse. We must not deceive the reader. He often raises our expectations, and does not give us all the satisfaction which we promise ourselves from his writings. His method of raising poultry, in particular, rather disappoints us. He spared neither care, time, nor expense, to render it practicable. He flattered himself and his countrymen with the greatest hopes; but, notwithstanding his assiduous industry and vast charges, it proved abortive. M. PAdvocat recommended him to ob tain from Egypt better information on the subject, and if possible to procure a person versed in the art to instruct him in it; but his death prevented the completion of the scheme. If any native of Egypt had arrived, showed M. de Reaumur a better method than his own, and practised it with success, as in his country, the community would have been benefited; on the other hand, he would have seen, if it had tailed, that the climate of France was not proper for such experiments. M. Maillet, consul at Cairo, to whom the regent had written to obtain the art, offered to send over a native of Egypt, if the government would pay the expense of his voyage, and allow him a pension of 1500 livres. M. Mailletjudged rightly when he preferred this method of proceeding. M. de Reaumur was not ignorant of the design, but he flattered himself that his efforts would be successful without further aid, and thought he should acquire some honour. He certainly had great talents, industry, sagacity, and every other requisite which is necessary in such attempts; but it is morally impossible that a single man, in a different climate, can attain such knowledge in an art as those who live in a more favourable country, and have had the experience of many ages to profit by. Yet, however unsuccessful M. de Reaumur may have been, posterity is indebted to him for his repeated trials. He has removed some difficulties in the road, and those who travel it may discover what he only saw at a distance.