But, yielding to the wishes of his father, he entered as a student at the college of the Jesuits at Amiens.[8] His father dying in 1760, nothing could induce the incipient abbe, then seventeen years of age, to longer wear his bands.

Immediately on returning home he bought himself a wretched horse, for want of means to buy a better one, and, accompanied by a poor lad of his village, he rode across the country to join the French army, then campaigning in Germany.
[Illustration: AUTOGRAPH OF LAMARCK, JANUARY 25, 1802 je prie le Citoyen qui assemble dans le Magazin de l'imprimerie du Citoyen Agasse de remettre a Madame chevalier Cent exemplaires de mon hydrogeologie, pour les Brocher.
Paris le 5 pluviose an dix Lamarck] He carried with him a letter of recommendation from one of his neighbors on an adjoining estate in the country, Madame de Lameth, to M.
de Lastic, colonel of the regiment of Beaujolais.[9] "We can imagine [says Cuvier] the feelings of this officer on thus finding himself hampered with a boy whose puny appearance made him seem still younger than he was.

However, he sent him to his quarters, and then busied himself with his duties.

The period indeed was a critical one.

It was the 16th of July, 1761.