serve them. But he knew equally that as long as their education remained what it is, it was a duty likewise not to consult them. He had no doubt that at length the advantage of his plans would be appreciated. And one of the fortunate things attending his old age was to see the almost complete success of his perseverance. "The potatoe has now only friends," he wrote in one of his last works, " even in those cantons from which the spirit of system and contention seemed anxious to banish it for ever." But Parmentier was not one of those persons who occupy themselves exclusively with one idea. The advantages which he had perceived in the potatoe did not make him neglect those offered by other vegetables. exclude buck wheat, which is so inferior, from the few cantons where it is still cultivated. The acorn, which they say nourished our ancestors before they were acquainted with corn, is still very useful in some of our provinces, chiefly about the centre of the kingdom. M. Daine, Intendant of Limoges, induced Parmentier to examine whether it was not possible to make from it an eatable bread, and capable of being kept. His experiments were unsuccessful; but they occasioned a complete treatise on the acorn, and on the different preparations of its food. Corn itself was an object of long study with him; and perhaps he has not been of less service in explaining the best methods of grinding and baking, than in spreading the cultivation of potatoes. Che Maize, the plant which, next to the potatoe, gives the most economical analysis having informed mical food, is likewise a present of the New World, although in some places it is still obstinately called Turkey-corn. It was the principal food of the Americans when the Spaniards visited their coasts. It was brought to Europe much earlier than the potatoe; for Fuchs describes it, and gives a drawing of it, in 1543. It was likewise spread more quickly; and by giv. ing to Italy and our southern provinces, a new and abundant article of food, it has greatly contributed to enrich them, and to increase their population. Parmentier, therefore, in order to encourage its culture, had need only to explain, as he does in a very complete manner, the precautions which its cultivation requires, and the numerous uses to which it may be applied. He wished to him that bran contains no nourishment proper for man, he concluded that it was advantageous to exclude it from bread. He deduced from this the advantages of an economical method of grinding, which, by subjecting the grain repeatedly to the mill and the sieve, detaches from the bran even the minutest particles of flour; and he proved likewise that it furnished, at a lower price, a white, agreeable, and more nutritive bread. Ignorance had so misunderstood the advantages of this method, that laws had long existed to prevent it, and that the most precious part of the grain was given to the cattle along with the bran. Parmentier studied with care every thing relating to bread; and because books would have been of little service to millers and bakers, bakers, people who scarcely read any, he induced Government to establish a School of Baking, from which the pupils would speedily carry into the provinces all the good practices. He went himself to Britanny and Languedoc, with M. Cadet-Devaux, in order to propagate his doctrine. He caused the greatest part of the bran which was mixed with the bread of the soldiers to be withdrawn; and by procuring them a more healthy and agreeable article of food, he put an end to a multitude of abuses of which this mixture was the source. Skilful men have calculated that the progress of knowledge in our days relative to grinding and baking has been such, that abstracting from the other vegetables which may be substituted for corn, the quantity of corn necessary for the food of an individual may be reduced more than a third. As it is chiefly to Parmentier that the almost general adoption of these new processes is owing, this calculation establishes his services better than a thousand panegyrics. Ardent as Parmentier was for the public utility, it was to be expected that he would interest himself much in the efforts occasioned by the last war to supply exotic luxuries. It was he that brought the syrup of grapes to the greatest perfection. This preparation which may be ridiculed by those who wish to assimilate it to sugar, has notwithstanding reduced the consumption of sugar many thousand quintals, and has produced immense savings in our hospitals, of which the poor have reaped the advantage, has given a new value to our vines at a time when the war and the taxes made them be pulled up in many places, and will not remain less useful for many purposes, even if sugar should again fall in this country to its old price. We have seen above how Parmentier, being by pretty singular accidents deprived of the active superintendance of the Invalids, had been stopped in the natural line of his advancement. He had too much merit to allow this injus tice to continue long. Govern❤ ment employed him in different circumstances as a military apothecary; and when in 1788 a consulting council of physicians and surgeons was organized for the army, the minister wished to place him there as apothecary; but Bayen was then alive, and Parmentier was the first to represent that he could not take his seat above his master. He was therefore named assistant to Bayen.This institution, like many others, was suppressed during the period of revolutionary anarchy, an epoch during which even medical subordination was rejected. But necessity obliged them soon to re-establish it under the names of Commission and Council of Health for the Armies; and Parmentier,whom the reign of terror had for a time driven from Paris, was speedily placed in it. He showed in this situation the same zeal as in all others; and the hospitals of the army were prodigiously indebted to his care. He neglected nothing-instructions, repeated orders to his inferiors, pressing solicitations to men in authority. We have seen him within these few years deploring the the absolute neglect in which a Government, occupied in conquering, and not in preserving, left the asylums of the victims of war. We ought to bear the most striking testimony of the care which he took of the young persons employed under his orders, the friendly manner in which he received them, encouraged them, and rewarded them. His protection extended to them at what distance soever they were carried; and we know more than one who was indebted for his life in far distant climates to the provident recommendations of this paternal chief. But his activity was not restricted to the duties of his place; every thing which could be useful occupied his attention. It When the steam-engines were established, he satisfied the public of the salubrity of the waters of the Seine. More lately he occupied himself with ardour in the establishment of economical soups. He contributed materially to the propagation of vaccination. was he chiefly who introduced into the central pharmacy of the hos. pitals at Paris the excellent order which reigns there; and he drew up the pharmaceutic code according to which they are directed.He watched over the great baking establishment at Scipion, where all the bread of the hospitals is made. The Hospice de Menages was under his particular care; and he bestowed the most minute attention on all that could alleviate the lot of 800 old persons of both sexes, of which it is composed. At a period when people might labour much, and perform great services, without receiving any recompense, wherever men united to do good, he appeared foremost; and you might depend upon being able to dispose of his time, of his pen, and, if occasion served, of his fortune. This continual habit of occupying himself for the good of mankind, had even affected his external air. Benevolence seemed to appear in him personified. His person was tall; and remained erect to the end of his life; his figure was full of amenity; his visage was at once noble and gentle; his hair was white as the snow-all these seemed to render this respectable old man the image of goodness and of virtue. His physiognomy was pleasing, particularly from that appearance of happiness produced by the good which he did, and which was so much the more entitled to be happy, because a man who without high birth, without fortune, without great places, without any remarkable genius, but by the sole perseverance of the love of goodness, has perhaps contributed as much to the happiness of his race as any of those upon whom Nature and Fortune have accumulated all the means of serving them. Parmentier was never married. Madame Houzeau, his sister, lived always with him, and seconded him in his benevolent labours with the tenderest friendship. She died at the time when her affectionate care would have been most necessary to her brother, who had for some years been threatened with a chronical affection in his breast. Regret for this loss aggravated the disease disease of this excellent man, and rendered his last days very painful, but without altering his character, or interrupting his labours. He died on the 17th December, 1813, in the 77th year of his age. CHARACTER OF MUNGO PARK; From his Life prefixed to the Journal of his Mission to Africa in 1805. The leading parts of Mungo Park's character must have been anticipated by the reader in the principal events and transactions of his life. Of his enterprising spirit, his indefatigable vigilance and activity, his calm fortitude and unshaken perseverance, he has left permanent memorials in the narrative of his former travels, and in the Journal and Correspondence now published. In these respects few travellers have equalled, none certainly ever surpassed him. Nor were the qualities of his understanding less valuable or conspicuous. He was distinguished by a correctness of judgment, seldom found united with an ar dent and adventurous turn of mind, and generally deemed incompatible with it. His talents certainly were not brilliant, but solid and useful, such as were peculiarly suited to a traveller and geographical discoverer. Hence, in his accounts of new and unknown countries, he is consistent and rational; he is betrayed into no exaggeration, nor does he exhibit any traces of credulity or enthusi asm. His attention was directed exclusively to facts; and except in his opinion relative to the ter mination of the Niger (which he supported by very plausible arguments) he rarely indulged in conjecture, much less in hypothesis or speculation. Among the characteristic qua fities of Park which were so apparent in his former travels, none certainly were more valuable or contributed more to his success, than his admirable prudence, calmness and temper; but it has been doubted whether these merits were equally conspicuous during his second expedition. The parts of his conduct which have given occasion to this remark are, his setting out from the Gambia almost at the eve of the rainy season, and his voyage down the Niger under circumstances so On the apparently desperate. motives by which he may have been influenced as to the former of these measures something has been said in the course of the foregoing narrative. With regard to his determination in the latter instance, justice must allow that his situation was one of extreme difficulty, and admitted probably of no alternative. In both cases our knowledge of the facts is much too imperfect to enable us to form a correct opinion as to the propriety of his conduct, much less to justify us in condemning him unheard. In all the relations of private life he appears to have been highly exemplary; and his conduct as a son, a husband, and a father, merited every praise. To the more gentle and amiable parts of his character the most certain of all testimonies may be found in the warm attachment of his friends, and in the fond and affectionate re collections collections of every branch of his dition afforded the most ample family. There are some moral defects very difficult to be avoided by those persons, who from a situation comparatively obscure, rise to sudden distinction and celebrity. From these failings Park was happily exempt. He was a stranger to all vanity and affectation; and notwithstanding his great popularity and success, appears to have lost no portion of the genuine simplicity of his character and manners. This simplicity perhaps originated in a considerable degree from a certain coldness and reserve, which rendered him very indifferent, and perhaps somewhat averse, to mixed or general society. It was probably owing to the same cause, that his conversation, for a man who had seen so much, had nothing remarkable, and was rarely striking or animated. Hence, although his appearance was interesting and prepossessing, he was apt to disappoint the expectations of strangers: and those persons who estimated his general talents from his powers of conversation, formed an erroneous and inadequate opinion of his merits. In his person he was tall, being about six feet high, and perfectly well-proportioned. His countenance and whole appearance were highly interesting; and his frame active and robust, fitted for great exertions, and the endurance of great hardships. His constitution had suffered considerably from the effects of his first journey into Africa, but seems afterwards to have been restored to its original vigour, of which his last expe proofs. Account of Ali Pasha, Vizier of Albania; from Travels in the Ionian Isles, Albania, &c. by Henry Holland, M. D. F. R. Š. &c. The morning of the first of November was made interesting to us, by our introduction to this extraordinary man. At ten o'clock, Colovo again called, to say that the Vizier was prepared to give us audience; and shortly afterwards, two white horses, of beautiful figure, and superbly caparisoned in the Turkish manner, were brought to us from the Seraglio; conducted by two Albanese soldiers, likewise richly attired and armed. Mounting these horses, and a Turkish officer of the palace preceding us, with an ornamental staff in his hand, we proceeded slowly, and with much state, through the city, to the great Seraglio. Passing through the almost savage pomp of this outer area of the Seraglio, we entered an inner court, and dismounted at the foot of a dark stone-staircase. On the first landing-place stood one of the Vizier's carriages; an old and awkward vehicle, of German manufacture, and such as might have been supposed to have travelled a dozen times from Hamburgh to Trieste. At the top of the staircase, we entered into a wide gallery or hall, the windows of which command a noble view of the lake of Ioannina, and the mountains of Pindus; the walls are |