MIMI that were published tunong the notes poem Des Moil, met with general approbation. He received the approbation of those entice who were the dispensers of literary famb in Paris, and was in. troduced at once into a large circle of acquaintance, where he was everywhere greeted with acclamation. He was soon, however, sensible of the emptiness of these applauses ; and dissatisfied with successes that offered no prospect of solid advantage, he sunk into a state of melancholy, which, together with his ex cessive application to study, began visibly to prey upon his constitution. His father nowurged him to choose a useful profession, and he at length decided for that of medicine, which, embracing such various objects of study, presented an ampIe field for the ex ertions of his active mind, while it necessitated that degree of bodily exercise, which had become soneces sary for the preservation of his health. Dubreuil, whose counsels had had much influence with him in forming this determination, offered to be his guide in the new and arduous career which be was com mencing. Cabanis continued for six years the pupil of this able master, following his steps both in his hospital and private practice, and conducting his studies conformably to his instructions. In 1789 he published Observations sur les Hdylitau.r ; a work which procured him the appointment of Administra tor of Hospitals at Paris.
His state of health, in the midst of his laborious professional exertions, requiring occasional relna tion in the country, he fixed upon Auteuil, in the immediate vicinity of Paris, as his place of residence. It was there that he became acquainted with the widow of Helvetius, and ever after cherished for that excellent woman the affection of a son, as she, on her part, fulfilled towards him the duties of the kind eat mother. He vent all his leisure hears in her so ciety ; and profited by the opportunity her house af forded him of cultivating the acquaintance of the most distinguished literary men of that period. He continued his intercourse with Turgot, was on terms of intimacy with Condillac, Thomas, and D'Alem bert ; and acquired the friendship of Holbach, Frank lin, and Jefferson. • During the last visit which Voltaire made to Paris, Cabanis was presented to him by Turgot, and read to him part of his nand& tion of the Iliad, which that acute critic, though old, infirm, and fatigued with his journey, listened to with great interest, and bestowed much commenda tion on the talents of the author. Cabanis had now,
however, long ceased to occupy himself with that work, and fully engaged with the studies and duties of his profession, had renounced the cultivation of letters. He even bade a formal adieu to poetry in his Serenest d'un Midair', which appeared in 1783, and is a free imitation of the Greek of Hippocrates, but is more remarkable as exhibiting the author in the light of a zealous friend to liberty. Political in terests were now, indeed, beginning to engross the general attention, and the muses were deserted amidst the contentions of parties, the din of arms, and the various anxieties and passions, which were called into play during this eventful period. Ca banis espoused with enthusiasm the cause of volution, to which he was attached from princiPiet and of which the opening prospects ware-se conga, nial to his active and ardent mind. But however he may hate shared in the intoxication which seized its early partisans, it is certain that he had no partici. pation in the criminal excesses which followed, and which have left so indelible a stain upon the history of those times.
During the two lest years of Mirabeau's life, he was intimately connected with that extraordinary man, who had the singular art of pressing into his service the pens of all his literary friends, whom he engaged to furnish him with their ideas, in writing, on the political topics of the day, that he might afterwards combine them as he chose, and adopt them as his own. Cabanis united himself with this disinterested association of labourers, and contributed the Tra vail sur l'iducation publique,_a tract which was found among the papers of Mirabeau at his death, and was edited by the real author soon after, in 1791. During the illness which terminated his life, Mirabeau confided himself entirely to the profession al skill of Cabanis ; and though repeatedly and strongly urged, as his danger increased, to have farther medical assistance, constantly refused to have recourse to any other advice. Of the progress of the malady, and the circumstances attending the death of Mirabeau, Cabanis has drawn up a very de tailed narrative, which, whatever proof it may afford of the warmth of his friendship for his patient, is not calculated to impress us with any high idea of his skill in the treatment of an acute• inflammatory dis ease.