CABANIS, PIERRE JEAN GEORGE, a distinguished physician and philosopher, the son of Jean Baptiste Cabanis, an able agricul turist, was born at Conao in 1757. His natural disposition appears to have been somewhat violent, and the earlier period of his youth was passed in continual struggles against the severity of the treatment which he seems to have received both from hie father and his teachers. During a short interval, in which he was under the care of a kind and judicious instructor, he indicated a decided taste for classical litera ture; but being eoon removed from a teacher who saw and endeavoured to develop his latent talents, and being again subjected to harshness, he lapsed into such a state of idleness and obstinacy, that at the age of fourteen his father in absolute despair sent him alone to Paris, where, feeling be had no sort of influence over him, he abandoned him to his own course. The moment he felt himself free, this youth, hitherto so indolent and intractable, became a diligent student, and for the space of two years devoted himself with an intensity which has been rarely exceeded to the study not only of the Greek, Latin, and French classics, but also of the works of the metaphysical writers both of England and France. His love of poetry was ardent, and he soou acquired no inconsiderable celebrity for some poetical pieces of his own ; but eeeing nothing cheering in the prospect of the pursuit of literature as a profession, he chose the study of medicine, chiefly, as lie himself states, on account of the varied sciences to which it obliged him to direct his attention. Under the guidance of a friend, an able physician, he applied himself for six years to the study of medicine with so much intensity that his health began to fail him, and being on this account obliged to leave Paris, he went to reside at Auteuil, where be became acquainted with the widow of Helvetius.
This acquaintance• determined the character of his future life. At the house of this lady, who in a manner adopted him as her son, lie became intimate with the most celebrated men of that ago, Turgot, D'Holbach, Franklin, Jefferson, Condillac, and Thomas. Here too he lived familiarly for many years with Diderot and D'Alembert, and occasionally saw Voltaire. He appears to have formed a strong attach ment to Mirabeau, for which he was exposed to no little obloquy ; he wae the chosen friend of Condorcet, and he had the gratification of being able to soothe the fast moments of both these remarkable men. He married Charlotte Grouchy, sister of General Groughy and of Madame Condorcet, with whom he lived happily until his death, which happened somewhat suddenly on the 5th of May 180S, in the fifty-second year of his age. He had borne no inconsiderable part in the events of the revolution ; was one of the Council of Five Hun dred, and afterwards a member of the senate. He was the author of several works of great celebrity in his day; but that which has given to his name a permanent distinction is his treatise on the relation between the physical and moral nature of man. This work, entitled du Physique et du Moral de PHomme; is partly metaphy sical and partly physiological, and displays no ordinary power of observation and analysis. It is remarkable too as being the first attempt to treat, in a systematic, form, the interesting but difficult subject which it investigates. This work may still be read with interest and instruction by the physician and metaphysician, and the practical educator.