Some weeks later, the obscure minister of marine, M.de Boynes, made way for the superintendent of the district (generalite) of Limoges, M.Turgot.
Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, born at Paris on the 10th of May, 1727, was already known and everywhere esteemed, when M.de Maurepas, at the instance, it is said, of his wife whom he consulted on all occasions, summoned him to the ministry.

He belonged to an ancient and important family by whom he had been intended for the Church.

When a pupil at Louis-le-Grand college, he spent his allowance so quickly that his parents became alarmed; they learned before long that the young man shared all he received amongst out-of-college pupils too poor to buy books.
This noble concern for the wants of others, as well as his rare gifts of intellect, had gained young Turgot devoted friends.

He was already leaning towards philosophy, and he announced to his fellow-pupils his intention of giving up his ecclesiastical status; he was a prior of Sorbonne; the majority disapproved of it.

"Thou'rt but a younger son of a Norman family," they said, "and, consequently, poor.