set out for the capital, carrying his manuscript with him.  He arrived at Paris on the 11th of September:  his first care was to go to the office of the Minister (of the Marine), where he deposited all the papers which he had drawn up respecting the shipwreck of the Medusa.  But what was his astonishment to see the day after, the Journal des Debats of the 13th of September, an extract from his narrative, copied almost literally:  he then endeavoured to discover whence the editors could have obtained these details; it cost him but little time to solve the riddle.

We shall not here explain by what means his manuscript became known to the editor of the Journal.  We shall here content ourselves with saying, that while Mr. Savigny was still at Brest, a person, who has connexions with the officer of the marine, with the intention of serving him, asked him for a copy of his memoir, saying, that by the medium of a person in office, he could get it conveyed to the minister of the marine.  This copy of our adventures was entrusted to this person, and by him sent to Paris.  Mr. Savigny had acted in this manner, because his intention, at that time, was to go to his family, without passing through the capital.  It appears that this copy was not discreetly kept, since it reached the editor of the Journal des Debats:  certainly, he who received it from Brest, was very far from wishing to injure the author of the memoir.  If he had had the smallest idea of all the disagreeable consequences arising from the publicity which he gave to the narrative, by shewing it to several persons, he would have kept it more carefully, or at least, he would have delivered it immediately to the minister of the marine for whom it was intended.  This publicity, by means of the Journal, drew upon Mr. Savigny the most serious remonstrances.  The very same day he was sent for to the office; he was told that his excellency was discontented, and that, he must immediately prove, that he was innocent of the publication of our misfortunes, which affected all France, and excited a lively interest in the fate of the victims.  But for Mr. Savigny, every thing was changed; instead of the interest, which his situation ought to inspire, he had called down upon himself the severity of the minister, and was to justify himself, for having dared to write that he had been very unfortunate, by the fault of others.  The reception he met with at the office affected him so much, that but, for the advice of some persons, he would have resigned his commission at once.  There was but one means to prove, that it was not he, who had given his narrative to the editor of the Journal des Debats:  this was to obtain the certificate of the editor himself.  Conscious of the truth, he went to him, and that honorable writer, without hesitation, did homage to the truth, by the following certificate.

“I certify that it is not from Mr. Savigny, that I have the details of the shipwreck of the Medusa inserted in the journal of the 13th of September, 1816.”