a genus of plants belonging to the hepandria class; and in the natural method ranking under the second order, Piperite. See ROTANY Index.

BAUSSURE, HORACE BENEDICT DE, a celebrated naturalist, was a native of Geneva, and born in 1740. His father was an intelligent farmer, who lived at Coneches, about half a league from Geneva, which no doubt contributed, in addition to his active education, to increase the physical strength of young Saussure, so requisite for a naturalist who intends to travel. He went daily to town for public instruction; and as he lived at the foot of a mountain, he frequently amused himself in ascending its steep and rugged sides. Thus environed by the phenomena of nature, and assisted by study, it was to be expected that he would soon conceive a predilection for natural history. Botany was his most early and favourite study, a taste which was powerfully encouraged by his local situation, and was the means of introducing him to the acquaintance of the great Haller, to whom he paid a visit in 1764, and was astonished at his intimate acquaintance with every branch of the natural sciences.

His attachment to the study of the vegetable kingdom was also increased by his connection with Bonnet, who had married his aunt, and who put a proper estimate on the talents of his nephew. He was at that time engaged in the examination of the leaves of plants, to which Saussure was also induced to turn his attention, and published the result of his researches under the title of Observations on the Bark of Leaves. About this time the philosophical chair at Geneva became vacant, and was given to Saussure at the age of 21. Rewards conferred so early have been thought to extinguish in some a zeal for the increase of knowledge, but this was not the case with De Saussure, who taught physics and logic alternately with equal success. For physics, however, he had the greatest taste, as affording the means of prosecuting the study of chemistry, mineralogy, and other kindred sciences.

He now began his travels through the mountains, not for the purpose of studying, as formerly, their flowery decorations, but their constituent parts, and the disposition of their masses. During the first fifteen years of his professorship, he was alternately engaged in discharging the duties of his office, and in traversing the mountains in the vicinity of Geneva; and in this period his talents as a great philosopher were fully displayed. He extended his researches on one side to the banks of the Rhine, and on the other to the country of Piedmont. He travelled to Auvergne to examine the extinguished volcanoes, going afterwards to Paris, England, Holland, Italy and Sicily. It is proper to remark that these were not mere journeys, but were undertaken purely with the view of studying nature; and in all his journeys he was surrounded with such instruments as would be of service to him; together with plans of his procedure previously drawn up. Readily will our readers believe this great philosopher when he affirms, that he found such a method extremely beneficial.

The first volume of his travels through the Alps, which was published in 1779, contains a circumstantial description of the environs of Geneva, and an excursion as far as Chamouni, a village at the foot of Mont-Blanc. It contains a description of his magnetometer, with which philosophers will probably be delighted. In proportion as he examined mountains, the more was he persuaded of the importance of mineralogy; and that he might study it with advantage, he acquired a knowledge of the German language. In the last volumes of his travels, the reader will see how much new mineralogical knowledge he had acquired.

During the troubles which agitated Geneva in 1782, he made his beautiful and interesting experiments on hygrometry, which he published in 1783. This has been pronounced the best work that ever came from his pen, and completely established his reputation as a philosopher. De Saussure resigned his chair to his pupil and fellow labourer, Picquet, who discharged the duties of his office with reputation, although rendered difficult to him by succeeding so great a man. He projected a plan of reform in the education of Geneva, the design of which was to make young people acquainted with the natural sciences and mathematics at an early period, and wished that their physical education should not be neglected, for which purpose he proposed gymnastic exercises. This plan found admirers in the city, but the poverty of its funds was an obstacle in the way of any important innovation. It was dreaded too, that if established forms were changed, they might be altered for the worse.

The attention of De Saussure was not wholly confined to public education, for he superintended the education of his own two sons and a daughter, who have since