Stephen Francis Geoffroy was born in Paris on the 13th of February, 1672, where his father was an apothecary. While a young man, regular meetings of the most eminent scientific men of Paris were held in his father’s house, at which he was always present. This contributed very much to increase his taste for scientific pursuits. After this he studied botany, chemistry, and anatomy in Paris. In 1692 his father sent him to Montpelier, to study pharmacy in the house of a skilful apothecary, who at the same time sent his son to Paris, to acquire the same art in the house of M. Geoffroy, senior. Here he attended the different classes in the university, and his name began to be known as a chemist. After spending some time in Montpelier, he travelled round the coast to see the principal seaports, and was at St. Malo’s in 1693, when it was bombarded by the British fleet. In 1698 Count Tallard being appointed ambassador extraordinary to London, made choice of M. Geoffroy as his physician, though he had not taken a medical degree. Here he made many valuable acquaintances, and was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. From London he went to Holland, and thence into Italy, in 1700, where he went in the capacity of physician to M. de Louvois. The great object of M. Geoffroy was always natural history, and materia medica. In 1693 he had subjected himself to an examination, and he had been declared qualified to act as an apothecary; but his own object was to be a physician, while that of his father was that he should succeed himself as an apothecary: this in some measure regulated his education. At last he declared his intentions, and his father agreed to them; he became bachelor of medicine in 1702, and doctor of medicine in 1704. In 1709 he was made professor of medicine in the Royal College. In 1707 he began to lecture on chemistry, at the Jardin du Roi, in place of M. Fagan, and continued to teach this important class during the remainder of his life. In 1726 he was chosen dean of the faculty of medicine; and, after the two years for which he was elected was finished, he was again chosen to fill the same situation. There existed at that time a lawsuit between the physicians and surgeons in Paris; a kind of civil war very injurious to both; and the mildness and suavity of his manners fitted him particularly for being at the head of the body of physicians during its continuance. He became a member of the academy in 1699, and died on the 6th of January, 1731.