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BIOGRAPHIES
OF
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIFIC MEN.
BY FRANÇOIS ARAGO,
MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE.
TRANSLATED BY
ADMIRAL W.H. SMYTH, D.C.L., F.R.S., &c.
THE REV. BADEN POWELL, M.A., F.R.S., &c.
AND
ROBERT GRANT, Esq., M.A., F.R.A.S.
FIRST SERIES.
BOSTON:
TICKNOR AND FIELDS.
M DCCC LIX.
RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE:
PRINTED BY H.O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY.
TRANSLATORS' PREFACE.
The present volume of the series of English translations of M. Arago's
works consists of his own autobiography and a selection of some of his
memoirs of eminent scientific men, both continental and British.
It does not distinctly appear at what period of his life Arago composed
the autobiography, but it bears throughout the characteristic stamp of
his ardent and energetic disposition. The reader will, perhaps, hardly
suppress a smile at the indications of self-satisfaction with which
several of the incidents are brought forward, while the air of romance
which invests some of the adventures may possibly give rise to some
suspicion of occasional embellishment; on these points, however, we
leave each reader to judge for himself. In relation to the history of
science, this memoir gives some interesting particulars, which disclose
to us much of the interior spirit of the Academy of Sciences, not always
of a kind the most creditable to some of Arago's former contemporaries.
But a far higher interest will be found to belong to those eloquent
memoirs, or éloges of eminent departed men of science, who had attained
the distinction of being members of the Academy.
In these the reader will find a luminous, eminently simple, and popular
account of the discoveries of each of those distinguished individuals,
of a kind constituting in fact a brief history of the particular branch
of science to which he was devoted. And in the selection included in the
present volume, which constitutes but a portion of the entire series, we
have comprised the accounts of men of such varied pursuits as to convey
no inadequate impression of the progress of discovery throughout a
considerable range of the whole field of the physical sciences within
the last half century.
The account given by the author, of the principal discoveries made by
the illustrious subjects of his memoirs, is in general very luminous,
but at the same time presupposes a familiarity with some parts of
science which may not really be possessed by all readers. For the sake
of a considerable class, then, we have taken occasion, wherever the use
of new technical terms or other like circumstances seemed to require it,
to introduce original notes and commentaries, sometimes of considerable
extent, by the aid of which we trust the scientific principles adverted
to in the text will be rendered easily intelligible to the general
reader.
In some few instances also we have found ourselves called upon to adopt
a more critical tone; where we were disposed to dissent from the view
taken by the author on particular questions of a controversial kind, or
when he is arguing in support, or in refutation, of opposing theories on
some points of science not yet satisfactorily cleared up.
We could have wished that our duty as translators and editors had not
extended beyond such mere occasional scientific or literary criticism.
But there unfortunately seemed to be one or two points where, in
pronouncing on the claims of distinguished individuals, or criticizing
their inventions, a doubt could not but be felt as to the perfect
_fairness_ of Arago's judgment, and in which we were constrained to
express an unfavourable opinion on the manner in which the relative
pretensions of men of the highest eminence seemed to be decided,
involving what might sometimes be fairly regarded as undue prejudice,
or possibly a feeling of personal or even national jealousy. Much as we
should deprecate the excitement of any feeling of hostility of this
kind, yet we could not, in our editorial capacity, shrink from the plain
duty of endeavouring to advocate what appeared to us right and true; and
we trust that whatever opinion may be entertained as to the
_conclusions_ to which we have come on such points, we shall not have
given ground for any complaint that we have violated any due courtesy or
propriety in our _mode_ of expressing those conclusions, or the reasons
on which they are founded.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
THE HISTORY OF MY YOUTH.
An Autobiography of Francis Arago 1
BAILLY.
Introduction 91
Infancy of Bailly.--His Youth.--His Literary Essays.--His
Mathematical Studies 93
Bailly becomes the Pupil of Lacaille.--He is associated
with him in his Astronomical Labours 97
Bailly a Member of the Academy of Sciences.--His Researches
on Jupiter's Satellites 103
Bailly's Literary Works.--His Biographies of Charles V.--of
Leibnitz--of Peter Corneille--of Molière 106
Debates relative to the Post of Perpetual Secretary of
the Academy of Sciences 110
History of Astronomy.--Letters on the Atlantis of Plato
and on the Ancient History of Asia 114
First Interview of Bailly with Franklin.--His Entrance
into the French Academy in 1783.--His Reception.--Discourse.--His
Rupture with Buffon 121
Report on Animal Magnetism 127
Election of Bailly into the Academy of Inscriptions 155
Report on the Hospitals 157
Report on the Slaughter-Houses 165
Biographies of Cook and of Gresset 167
Assembly of the Notables.--Bailly is named First Deputy
of Paris; and soon after Dean or Senior of the Deputies
of the Communes 169
Bailly becomes Mayor of Paris.--Scarcity.--Marat declares
himself inimical to the Mayor.--Events of the 6th of October 179
A Glance at the Posthumous Memoir of Bailly 193
Examination of Bailly's Administration as Mayor 195
The King's Flight.--Events on the Champ de Mars 206
Bailly quits the Mayoralty the 12th of November, 1791.--The
Eschevins.--Examination of the Reproaches that might be
addressed to the Mayor 211
Bailly's Journey from Paris to Nantes, and then from Nantes to
Mélun.--His Arrest in this last Town.--He is transferred to Paris 217
Bailly is called as a Witness in the Trial of the Queen.--His own
Trial before the Revolutionary Tribunal.--His Condemnation to
Death.--His Execution.--Imaginary Details added by ill-informed
Historians to what that odious and frightful Event already
presented 225
Portrait of Bailly.--His Wife 250
HERSCHEL.
Personal History 258
Chronological Table of the Memoirs of William Herschel 266
Improvements in the Means of Observation 271
Labours in Sidereal Astronomy 285
Labours relative to the Solar System 289
Optical Labours 301
LAPLACE.
Preliminary Notice 303
APPENDIX.
(A.) Brief Notice of some other interesting Results
of the Researches of Laplace which have not
been mentioned in the Text 368
(B.) The Mécanique Céleste 372
JOSEPH FOURIER.
Preliminary Notice 374
Birth of Fourier.--His Youth 377
Memoir on the Resolution of Numerical Equations 380
Part played by Fourier in our Revolution.--His Entrance
into the Corps of Professors of the Normal School and
the Polytechnic School.--Expedition to Egypt 384
Fourier Prefect of L'Isère 405
Mathematical Theory of Heat 408
Central Heat of the Terrestrial Globe 419
Return of Napoleon from Elba.--Fourier Prefect of the
Rhone.--His Nomination to the Office of Director of the
Board of Statistics of the Seine 430
Entrance of Fourier into the Academy of Sciences.--His
Election to the Office of Perpetual Secretary.--His Admission
to the French Academy 437
Character of Fourier.--His Death 438
LIVES
OF
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIFIC MEN.
THE HISTORY OF MY YOUTH:
AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO.
I have not the foolish vanity to imagine that any one, even a short time
hence, will have the curiosity to find out how my first education was
given, and how my mind was developed; but some biographers, writing off
hand and without authority, having given details on this subject utterly
incorrect, and of a nature to imply negligence on the part of my
parents, I consider myself bound to put them right.
I was born on the 26th of February, 1786, in the commune of Estagel, an
ancient province of Roussillon (department of the Eastern Pyrenees). My
father, a licentiate in law, had some little property in arable land, in
vineyards, and in plantations of olive-trees, the income from which
supported his numerous family.
I was thus three years old in 1789, four years old in 1790, five years
in 1791, six years in 1792, and seven years old in 1793, &c.
The reader has now himself the means of judging whether, as has been
said, and even stated in print, I had a hand in the excesses of our
first revolution.
My parents sent me to the primary school in Estagel, where I learnt the
rudiments of reading and writing. I received, besides, in my father's
house, some private lessons in vocal music. I was not otherwise either
more or less advanced than other children of my age. I enter into these
details merely to show how much mistaken are those who have printed that
at the age of fourteen or fifteen years I had not yet learnt to read.
Estagel was a halting-place for a portion of the troops who, coming from
the interior, either went on to Perpignan, or repaired direct to the
army of the Pyrenees. My parents' house was therefore constantly full of
officers and soldiers. This, joined to the lively excitement which the
Spanish invasion had produced within me, inspired me with such decided
military tastes, that my family was obliged to have me narrowly watched
to prevent my joining by stealth the soldiers who left Estagel. It often
happened that they caught me at a league's distance from the village,
already on my way with the troops.
On one occasion these warlike tastes had nearly cost me dear. It was the
night of the battle of Peires-Tortes. The Spanish troops in their
retreat had partly mistaken their road. I was in the square of the
village before daybreak; I saw a brigadier and five troopers come up,
who, at the sight of the tree of liberty, called out, "_Somos
perdidos!_" I ran immediately to the house to arm myself with a lance
which had been left there by a soldier of the _levée en masse_, and
placing myself in ambush at the corner of a street, I struck with a blow
of this weapon the brigadier placed at the head of the party. The wound
was not dangerous; a cut of the sabre, however, was descending to punish
my hardihood, when some countrymen came to my aid, and, armed with
forks, overturned the five cavaliers from their saddles, and made them
prisoners. I was then seven years old.[1]
My father having gone to reside at Perpignan, as treasurer of the mint,
all the family quitted Estagel to follow him there. I was then placed as
an out-door pupil at the municipal college of the town, where I occupied
myself almost exclusively with my literary studies. Our classic authors
had become the objects of my favourite reading. But the direction of my
ideas became changed all at once by a singular circumstance which I will
relate.
Walking one day on the ramparts of the town, I saw an officer of
engineers who was directing the execution of the repairs. This officer,
M. Cressac, was very young; I had the hardihood to approach him, and to
ask him how he had succeeded in so soon wearing an epaulette. "I come
from the Polytechnic School," he answered. "What school is that?" "It is
a school which one enters by an examination." "Is much expected of the
candidates?" "You will see it in the programme which the Government
sends every year to the departmental administration; you will find it
moreover in the numbers of the journal of the school, which are in the
library of the central school."
I ran at once to the library, and there, for the first time, I read the
programme of the knowledge required in the candidates.
From this moment I abandoned the classes of the central school, where I
was taught to admire Corneille, Racine, La Fontaine, Molière, and
attended only the mathematical course. This course was entrusted to a
retired ecclesiastic, the Abbé Verdier, a very respectable man, but
whose knowledge went no further than the elementary course of La Caille.
I saw at a glance that M. Verdier's lessons would not be sufficient to
secure my admission to the Polytechnic School; I therefore decided on
studying by myself the newest works, which I sent for from Paris. These
were those of Legendre, Lacroix, and Garnier. In going through these
works I often met with difficulties which exceeded my powers; happily,
strange though it be, and perhaps without example in all the rest of
France, there was a proprietor at Estagel, M. Raynal, who made the study
of the higher mathematics his recreation. It was in his kitchen, whilst
giving orders to numerous domestics for the labours of the next day,
that M. Raynal read with advantage the "Hydraulic Architecture" of
Prony, the "Mécanique Analytique," and the "Mécanique Céleste." This
excellent man often gave me useful advice; but I must say that I found
my real master in the cover of M. Garnier's "Treatise on Algebra." This
cover consisted of a printed leaf, on the outside of which blue paper
was pasted. The reading of the page not covered made me desirous to know
what the blue paper hid from me. I took off this paper carefully, having
first damped it, and was able to read underneath it the advice given by
d'Alembert to a young man who communicated to him the difficulties which
he met with in his studies: "Go on, sir, go on, and conviction will come
to you."
This gave me a gleam of light; instead of persisting in attempts to
comprehend at first sight the propositions before me, I admitted their
truth provisionally; I went on further, and was quite surprised, on the
morrow, that I comprehended perfectly what overnight appeared to me to
be encompassed with thick clouds.
I thus made myself master, in a year and a half, of all the subjects
contained in the programme for admission, and I went to Montpellier to
undergo the examination. I was then sixteen years of age. M. Monge,
junior, the examiner, was detained at Toulouse by indisposition, and
wrote to the candidates assembled at Montpellier that he would examine
them in Paris. I was myself too unwell to undertake so long a journey,
and I returned to Perpignan.
There I listened for a moment to the solicitations of my family, who
pressed me to renounce the prospects which the Polytechnic School
opened. But my taste for mathematical studies soon carried the day; I
increased my library with Euler's "Introduction à l'Analyse
Infinitésimale," with the "Résolution des Equations Numériques," with
Lagrange's "Théorie des Fonctions Analytiques," and "Mécanique
Analytique," and finally with Laplace's "Mécanique Céleste." I gave
myself up with great ardour to the study of these books. From the
journal of the Polytechnic School containing such investigations as
those of M. Poisson on Elimination, I imagined that all the pupils were
as much advanced as this geometer, and that it would be necessary to
rise to this height to succeed.
From this moment, I prepared myself for the artillery service,--the aim
of my ambition; and as I had heard that an officer ought to understand
music, fencing, and dancing, I devoted the first hours of each day to
the cultivation of these accomplishments.
The rest of the time I was seen walking in the moats of the citadel of
Perpignan, seeking by more or less forced transitions to pass from one
question to another, so as to be sure of being able to show the examiner
how far my studies had been carried.[2]
At last the moment of examination arrived, and I went to Toulouse in
company with a candidate who had studied at the public college. It was
the first time that pupils from Perpignan had appeared at the
competition. My intimidated comrade was completely discomfited. When I
repaired after him to the board, a very singular conversation took
place between M. Monge (the examiner) and me.
"If you are going to answer like your comrade, it is useless for me to
question you."
"Sir, my comrade knows much more than he has shown; I hope I shall be
more fortunate than he; but what you have just said to me might well
intimidate me and deprive me of all my powers."
"Timidity is always the excuse of the ignorant; it is to save you from
the shame of a defeat that I make you the proposal of not examining
you."
"I know of no greater shame than that which you now inflict upon me.
Will you be so good as to question me? It is your duty."
"You carry yourself very high, sir! We shall see presently whether this
be a legitimate pride."
"Proceed, sir; I wait for you."
M. Monge then put to me a geometrical question, which I answered in such
a way as to diminish his prejudices. From this he passed on to a
question in algebra, then the resolution of a numerical equation. I had
the work of Lagrange at my fingers' ends; I analyzed all the known
methods, pointing out their advantages and effects; Newton's method, the
method of recurring series, the method of depression, the method of
continued fractions,--all were passed in review; the answer had lasted
an entire hour. Monge, brought over now to feelings of great kindness,
said to me, "I could, from this moment, consider the examination at an
end. I will, however, for my own pleasure, ask you two more questions.
What are the relations of a curved line to the straight line that is a
tangent to it?" I looked upon this question as a particular case of the
theory of osculations which I had studied in Legrange's "Fonctions
Analytiques." "Finally," said the examiner to me, "how do you determine
the tension of the various cords of which a funicular machine is
composed?" I treated this problem according to the method expounded in
the "Mécanique Analytique." It was clear that Lagrange had supplied all
the resources of my examination.
I had been two hours and a quarter at the board. M. Monge, going from
one extreme to the other, got up, came and embraced me, and solemnly
declared that I should occupy the first place on his list. Shall I
confess it? During the examination of my comrade I had heard the
Toulousian candidates uttering not very favourable sarcasms on the
pupils from Perpignan; and it was principally for the sake of reparation
to my native town that M. Monge's behaviour and declaration transported
me with joy.
Having entered the Polytechnic School, at the end of 1803, I was placed
in the excessively boisterous brigade of the Gascons and Britons. I
should have much liked to study thoroughly physics and chemistry, of
which I did not even know the first rudiments; but the behaviour of my
companions rarely left me any time for it. As for analysis, I had
already, before entering the Polytechnic School, learnt much more than
was required for leaving it.
I have just related the strange words which M. Monge, junior, addressed
to me at Toulouse in commencing my examination for admission. Something
analogous occurred at the opening of my examination in mathematics for
passing from one division of the school to another. The examiner, this
time, was the illustrious geometer Legendre, of whom, a few years after,
I had the honour of becoming the colleague and the friend.
I entered his study at the moment when M. T----, who was to undergo his
examination before me, having fainted away, was being carried out in the
arms of two servants. I thought that this circumstance would have moved
and softened M. Legendre; but it had no such effect "What is your name,"
he said to me sharply. "Arago," I answered. "You are not French then?"
"If I was not French I should not be before you; for I have never heard
of any one being admitted into the school unless his nationality had
been proved." "I maintain that he is not French whose name is Arago." "I
maintain, on my side, that I am French, and a very good Frenchman too,
however strange my name may appear to you." "Very well; we will not
discuss the point farther; go to the board."
I had scarcely taken up the chalk, when M. Legendre, returning to the
first subject of his preoccupations, said to me: "You were born in one
of the departments recently united to France?" "No, sir; I was born in
the department of the Eastern Pyrenees, at the foot of the Pyrenees."
"Oh! why did you not tell me that at once? all is now explained. You are
of Spanish origin, are you not?" "Possibly; but in my humble family
there are no authentic documents preserved which could enable me to
trace back the civil position of my ancestors; each one there is the
child of his own deeds. I declare to you again that I am French, and
that ought to be sufficient for you."
The vivacity of this last answer had not disposed M. Legendre in my
favour. I saw this very soon; for, having put a question to me which
required the use of double integrals, he stopped me, saying: "The method
which you are following was not given to you by the professor. Whence
did you get it?" "From one of your papers." "Why did you choose it? was
it to bribe me?" "No; nothing was farther from my thoughts. I only
adopted it because it appeared to me preferable." "If you are unable to
explain to me the reasons for your preference, I declare to you that you
shall receive a bad mark, at least as to character."
I then entered upon the details which established, as I thought, that
the method of double integrals was in all points more clear and more
rational than that which Lacroix had expounded to us in the
amphitheatre. From this moment Legendre appeared to me to be satisfied,
and to relent.
Afterwards, he asked me to determine the centre of gravity of a
spherical sector. "The question is easy," I said to him. "Very well;
since you find it easy, I will complicate it: instead of supposing the
density constant, I will suppose that it varies from the centre to the
surface according to a determined function." I got through this
calculation very happily; and from this moment I had entirely gained the
favour of the examiner. Indeed, on my retiring, he addressed to me these
words, which, coming from him, appeared to my comrades as a very
favourable augury for my chance of promotion: "I see that you have
employed your time well; go on in the same way the second year, and we
shall part very good friends."
In the mode of examination adopted at the Polytechnic School in 1804,
which is always cited as being better than the present organization,
room was allowed for the exercise of some unjustifiable caprices. Would
it be believed, for example, that the old M. Barruel examined two pupils
at a time in physics, and gave them, it is said, the same mark, which
was the mean between the actual merits of the two? For my part, I was
associated with a comrade full of intelligence, but who had not studied
this branch of the course. We agreed that he should leave the answering
to me, and we found the arrangement advantageous to both.
As I have been led to speak of the school as it was in 1804, I will say
that its faults were less those of organization than those of personal
management; for many of the professors were much below their office, a
fact which gave rise to somewhat ridiculous scenes. The pupils, for
instance, having observed the insufficiency of M. Hassenfratz, made a
demonstration of the dimensions of the rainbow, full of errors of
calculation, but in which the one compensated the other so that the
final result was true. The professor, who had only this result whereby
to judge of the goodness of the answer, when he saw it appear on the
board, did not hesitate to call out, "Good, good, perfectly good!" which
excited shouts of laughter on all the benches of the amphitheatre.
When a professor has lost consideration, without which it is impossible
for him to do well, they allow themselves to insult him to an incredible
extent. Of this I will cite a single specimen.
A pupil, M. Leboullenger, met one evening in company this same M.
Hassenfratz, and had a discussion with him. When he reëntered the school
in the morning, he mentioned this circumstance to us. "Be on your
guard," said one of our comrades to him; "you will be interrogated this
evening. Play with caution, for the professor has certainly prepared
some great difficulties so as to cause laughter at your expense."
Our anticipations were not mistaken. Scarcely had the pupils arrived in
the amphitheatre, when M. Hassenfratz called to M. Leboullenger, who
came to the board.
"M. Leboullenger," said the professor to him, "you have seen the moon?"
"No, sir." "How, sir! you say that you have never seen the moon?" "I can
only, repeat my answer--no, sir." Beside himself, and seeing his prey
escape him, by means of this unexpected answer, M. Hassenfratz addressed
himself to the inspector charged with the observance of order that day,
and said to him, "Sir, there is M. Leboullenger, who pretends never to
have seen the moon." "What would you wish me to do?" stoically replied
M. Le Brun. Repulsed on this side, the professor turned once more
towards M. Leboullenger, who remained calm and earnest in the midst of
the unspeakable amusement of the whole amphitheatre, and cried out with
undisguised anger, "You persist in maintaining that you have never seen
the moon?" "Sir," returned the pupil, "I should deceive you if I told
you that I had not heard it spoken of, but I have never seen it." "Sir,
return to your place."
After this scene, M. Hassenfratz was but a professor in name; his
teaching could no longer be of any use.
At the commencement of the second year, I was appointed "_chef de
brigade_." Hatchette had been professor of hydrography at Collioure; his
friends from Roussillon recommended me to him. He received me with great
kindness, and even gave me a room in his lodgings. It was there that I
had the pleasure of making Poisson's acquaintance, who lived next to us.
Every evening the great geometer entered my room, and we passed entire
hours in conversing on politics and mathematics, which is certainly not
quite the same thing.
In the course of 1804, the school was a prey to political passions, and
that through the fault of the government.
They wished forthwith to oblige the pupils to sign an address of
congratulation on the discovery of the conspiracy in which Moreau was
implicated. They refused to do so on the ground that it was not for them
to pronounce on a cause which had been in the hands of justice. It must,
however, be remarked, that Moreau had not yet dishonoured himself by
taking service in the Russian army, which had come to attack the French
under the walls of Dresden.
The pupils were invited to make a manifestation in favour of the
institution of the Legion of Honour. This again they refused. They knew
well that the cross, given without inquiry and without control, would
be, in most cases, the recompense of charlatanism, and not of true
merit.
The transformation of the Consular into the Imperial Government gave
rise to very animated discussions in the interior of the school.
Many pupils refused to add their felicitations to the mean adulations of
the constituted bodies.
General Lacuée, who was appointed governor of the school, reported this
opposition to the Emperor.
"M. Lacuée," cried Napoleon, in the midst of a group of courtiers, who
applauded with speech and gesture, "you cannot retain at the school
those pupils who have shown such ardent Republicanism; you will send
them away." Then, collecting himself, he added, "I will first know their
names and their stages of promotion." Seeing the list the next day, he
did not proceed further than the first name, which was the first in the
artillery. "I will not drive away the first men in advancement," said
he. "Ah! if they had been at the bottom of the list! M. Lacuée, leave
them alone."
Nothing was more curious than the _séance_ to which General Lacuée came
to receive the oath of obedience from the pupils. In the vast
amphitheatre which contained them, one could not discern a trace of the
gravity which such a ceremony should inspire. The greater part, instead
of answering, at the call of their names, "I swear it," cried out,
"Present."
All at once the monotony of this scene was interrupted by a pupil, son
of the Conventionalist Brissot, who called out in a stentorian voice, "I
will not take the oath of obedience to the Emperor." Lacuée, pale and
with little presence of mind, ordered a detachment of armed pupils
placed behind him to go and arrest the recusant. The detachment, of
which I was at the head, refused to obey. Brissot, addressing himself to
the General, with the greatest calmness said to him, "Point out the
place to which you wish me to go; do not force the pupils to dishonour
themselves by laying hands on a comrade who has no desire to resist."
The next morning Brissot was expelled.
About this time, M. Méchain, who had been sent to Spain to prolong the
meridional line as far as Formentera, died at Castellon de la Plana. His
son, Secretary at the Observatory, immediately gave in his resignation.
Poisson offered me the situation. I declined his first proposal. I did
not wish to renounce the military career,--the object of all my
predilections, and in which, moreover, I was assured of the protection
of Marshal Lannes,--a friend of my father's. Nevertheless I accepted, on
trial, the position offered me in the Observatory, after a visit which I
made to M. de Laplace in company with M. Poisson, under the express
condition that I could re-enter the Artillery if that should suit me. It
was from this cause that my name remained inscribed on the list of the
pupils of the school. I was only detached to the Observatory on a
special service.
I entered this establishment, then, on the nomination of Poisson, my
friend, and through the intervention of Laplace. The latter loaded me
with civilities. I was happy and proud when I dined in the Rue de
Tournon with the great geometer. My mind and my heart were much disposed
to admire all, to respect all, that was connected with him who had
discovered the cause of the secular equation of the moon, had found in
the movement of this planet the means of calculating the ellipticity of
the earth, had traced to the laws of attraction the long inequalities of
Jupiter and of Saturn, &c. &c. But what was my disenchantment, when one
day I heard Madame de Laplace, approaching her husband, say to him,
"Will you entrust to me the key of the sugar?"
Some days afterwards, a second incident affected me still more vividly.
M. de Laplace's son was preparing for the examinations of the
Polytechnic School. He came sometimes to see me at the Observatory. In
one of his visits I explained to him the method of continued fractions,
by help of which Lagrange obtains the roots of numerical equations. The
young man spoke of it to his father with admiration. I shall never
forget the rage which followed the words of Emile de Laplace, and the
severity of the reproaches which were addressed to me, for having
patronized a mode of proceeding which may be very long in theory, but
which evidently can in no way be found fault with on the score of its
elegance and precision. Never had a jealous prejudice shown itself more
openly, or under a more bitter form. "Ah!" said I to myself, "how true
was the inspiration of the ancients when they attributed weaknesses to
him who nevertheless made Olympus tremble by a frown!"
Here I should mention, in order of time, a circumstance which might have
produced the most fatal consequences for me. The fact was this:--
I have described above, the scene which caused the expulsion of
Brissot's son from the Polytechnic School. I had entirely lost sight of
him for several months, when he came to pay me a visit at the
Observatory, and placed me in the most delicate, the most terrible,
position that an honest man ever found himself in.
"I have not seen you," he said to me, "because since leaving the school
I have practised daily firing with a pistol; I have now acquired a skill
beyond the common, and I am about to employ it in ridding France of the
tyrant who has confiscated all her liberties. My measures are taken: I
have hired a small room on the Carrousel, close to the place by which
Napoleon, on coming out from the court, will pass to review the cavalry;
from the humble window of my apartment will the ball be fired which will
go through his head."
I leave it to be imagined with what despair I received this confidence.
I made every imaginable effort to deter Brissot from his sinister
project; I remarked how all those who had rushed on enterprises of this
nature had been branded in history by the odious title of assassin.
Nothing succeeded in shaking his fatal resolution; I only obtained from
him a promise on his honour that the execution of it should be postponed
for a time, and I put myself in quest of means for rendering it
abortive.
The idea of announcing Brissot's project to the authorities did not
even enter my thoughts. It seemed a fatality which came to smite me, and
of which I must undergo the consequences, however serious they might be.
I counted much on the solicitations of Brissot's mother, already so
cruelly tried during the revolution. I went to her home, in the Rue de
Condé, and implored her earnestly to coöperate with me in preventing her
son from carrying out his sanguinary resolution. "Ah, sir," replied this
lady, who was naturally a model of gentleness, "if Silvain" (this was
the name of her son) "believes that he is accomplishing a patriotic
duty, I have neither the intention nor the desire to turn him from his
project."
It was from myself that I must henceforth draw all my resources. I had
remarked that Brissot was addicted to the composition of romances and
pieces of poetry. I encouraged this passion, and every Sunday, above
all, when I knew that there would be a review, I went to fetch him, and
drew him into the country, in the environs of Paris. I listened then
complacently to the reading of those chapters of his romance which he
had composed during the week.
The first excursions frightened me a little, for armed with his pistols,
Brissot seized every occasion of showing his great skill; and I
reflected that this circumstance would lead to my being considered as
his accomplice, if he ever carried out his project. At last, his
pretensions to literary fame, which I flattered to the utmost, the hopes
(though I had none myself) which I led him to conceive of the success of
an attachment of which he had confided the secret to me, made him
receive with attention the reflections which I constantly made to him on
his enterprise. He determined on making a journey beyond the seas, and
thus relieved me from the most serious anxiety which I have experienced
in all my life.
Brissot died after having covered the walls of Paris with printed
handbills in favour of the Bourbon restoration.
I had scarcely entered the Observatory, when I became the
fellow-labourer of Biot in researches on the refraction of gases,
already commenced by Borda.
While engaged in this work the celebrated academician and I often
conversed on the interest there would be in resuming in Spain the
measurement interrupted by the death of Méchain. We submitted our
project to Laplace, who received it with ardour, procured the necessary
funds, and the Government confided to us two this important mission.
M. Biot, I, and the Spanish commissary Rodriguez departed from Paris in
the commencement of 1806. We visited, on our way, the stations indicated
by Méchain; we made some important modifications in the projected
triangulation, and at once commenced operations.
An inaccurate direction given to the reflectors established at Iviza, on
the mountain Campvey, rendered the observations made on the continent
extremely difficult. The light of the signal of Campvey was very rarely
seen, and I was, during six months, in the _Desierto de las Palmas_,
without being able to see it, whilst at a later period the light
established at the Desierto, but well directed, was seen every evening
from Campvey. It will easily be imagined what must be the _ennui_
experienced by a young and active astronomer, confined to an elevated
peak, having for his walk only a space of twenty square metres, and for
diversion only the conversation of two Carthusians, whose convent was
situated at the foot of the mountain, and who came in secret,
infringing the rule of their order.
At the time when I write these lines, old and infirm, my legs scarcely
able to sustain me, my thoughts revert involuntarily to that epoch of my
life when, young and vigorous, I bore the greatest fatigues, and walked
day and night, in the mountainous countries which separate the kingdoms
of Valencia and Catalonia from the kingdom of Aragon, in order to
reëstablish our geodesic signals which the storms had overset.
I was at Valencia towards the middle of October, 1806. One morning early
the French consul entered my room quite alarmed: "Here is sad news,"
said M. Lanusse to me; "make preparations for your departure; the whole
town is in agitation; a declaration of war against France has just been
published; it appears that we have experienced a great disaster in
Prussia. The Queen, we are assured, has put herself at the head of the
cavalry and of the royal guard; a part of the French army has been cut
to pieces; the rest is completely routed. Our lives would not be in
safety if we remained here; the French ambassador at Madrid will inform
me as soon as an American vessel now at anchor in the 'Grao' of Valencia
can take us on board, and I will let you know as soon as the moment is
come." This moment never came; for a few days afterwards the false news,
which one must suppose had dictated the proclamation of the Prince of
the Peace, was replaced by the bulletin of the battle of Jéna. People
who at first played the braggart and threatened to root us out, suddenly
became disgracefully cast down; we could walk in the town, holding up
our heads, without fear henceforth of being insulted.
This proclamation, in which they spoke of the critical circumstances in
which the Spanish nation was placed; of the difficulties which
encompassed this people; of the safety of their native country; of
laurels, and of the god of victory; of enemies with whom they ought to
fight;--did not contain the name of France. They availed themselves of
this omission (will it be believed?) to maintain that it was directed
against Portugal.
Napoleon pretended to believe in this absurd interpretation; but from
this moment it became evident that Spain would sooner or later be
obliged to render a strict account of the warlike intentions which she
had suddenly evinced in 1806; this, without justifying the events of
Bayonne, explains them in a very natural way.
I was expecting M. Biot at Valencia, he having undertaken to bring some
new instruments with which we were to measure the latitude of
Formentera. I shall take advantage of these short intervals of repose to
insert here some details of manners, which may, perhaps, be read with
interest.
I will recount, in the first instance, an adventure which nearly cost me
my life under somewhat singular circumstances.
One day, as a recreation, I thought I could go, with a
fellow-countryman, to the fair at Murviedro, the ancient Saguntum, which
they told me was very curious. I met in the town the daughter of a
Frenchman resident at Valencia, Madlle. B----. All the hotels were
crowded; Madlle. B---- invited us to take some refreshments at her
grandmother's; we accepted; but on leaving the house she informed us
that our visit had not been to the taste of her betrothed, and that we
must be prepared for some sort of attack on his part; we went directly
to an armourer's, bought some pistols, and commenced our return to
Valencia.
On our way I said to the calezero (driver), a man whom I had employed
for a long time, and who was much devoted to me:--
"Isidro, I have some reason to believe that we shall be stopped; I warn
you of it, so that you may not be surprised at the shots which will be
fired from the caleza (vehicle)."
Isidro, seated on the shaft, according to the custom of the country,
answered:--
"Your pistols are completely useless, gentlemen; leave me to act; one
cry will be enough; my mule will rid us of two, three, or even four
men."
Scarcely one minute had elapsed after the calezero had uttered these
words, when two men presented themselves before the mule and seized her
by the nostrils. At the same instant a formidable cry, which will never
be effaced from my remembrance,--the cry of _Capitana!_--was uttered by
Isidro. The mule reared up almost vertically, raising up one of the men,
came down again, and set off at a rapid gallop. The jolt which the
carriage made led us to understand too well what had just occurred. A
long silence succeeded this incident; it was only interrupted by these
words of the calezero, "Do you not think, gentlemen, that my mule is
worth more than any pistols?"
The next day the captain-general, Don Domingo Izquierdo, related to me
that a man had been found crushed on the road to Murviedro. I gave him
an account of the prowess of Isidro's mule, and no more was said.
One anecdote, taken from among a thousand, will show what an adventurous
life was led by the delegate of the _Bureau of Longitude_.
During my stay on a mountain near Cullera, to the north of the mouth of
the river Xucar, and to the south of the Albuféra, I once conceived the
project of establishing a station on the high mountains which are in
front of it. I went to see them. The alcaid of one of the neighbouring
villages warned me of the danger to which I was about to expose myself.
"These mountains," said he to me, "form the resort of a band of highway
robbers." I asked for the national guard, as I had the power to do so.
My escort was supposed by the robbers to be an expedition directed
against them, and they dispersed themselves at once over the rich plain
which is watered by the Xucar. On my return I found them engaged in
combat with the authorities of Cullera. Wounds had been given on both
sides, and, if I recollect right, one alguazil was left dead on the
plain.
The next morning I regained my station. The following night was a
horrible one; the rain fell in a deluge. Towards night, there was
knocking at my cabin door. To the question "Who is there?" the answer
was, "A custom-house guard, who asks of you a shelter for some hours."
My servant having opened the door to him, I saw a magnificent man enter,
armed to the teeth. He laid himself down on the earth, and went to
sleep. In the morning, as I was chatting with him at the door of my
cabin, his eyes flashed on seeing two persons on the slope of the
mountain, the alcaid of Cullera and his principal alguazil, who were
coming to pay me a visit. "Sir," cried he, "nothing less than the
gratitude which I owe to you, on account of the service which you have
rendered to me this night, could prevent my seizing this occasion for
ridding myself, by one shot of this carabine, of my most cruel enemy.
Adieu, sir!" And he departed, springing from rock to rock as light as a
gazelle.
On reaching the cabin, the alcaid and his alguazil recognized in the
fugitive the chief of all the brigands in the country.
Some days afterwards, the weather having again become very bad, I
received a second visit from the pretended custom-house guard, who went
soundly to sleep in my cabin. I saw that my servant, an old soldier, who
had heard the recital of the deeds and behaviour of this man, was
preparing to kill him. I jumped down from my camp bed, and, seizing my
servant by the throat,--"Are you mad?" said I to him; "are we to
discharge the duties of police in this country? Do you not see,
moreover, that this would expose us to the resentment of all those who
obey the orders of this redoubted chief? And we should thus render it
impossible for us to terminate our operations."
Next morning, when the sun rose, I had a conversation with my guest,
which I will try to reproduce faithfully.
"Your situation is perfectly known to me; I know that you are not a
custom-house guard; I have learnt from certain information that you are
the chief of the robbers of the country. Tell me whether I have any
thing to fear from your confederates?"
"The idea of robbing you did occur to us; but we concluded that all your
funds would be in the neighbouring towns; that you would carry no money
to the summit of mountains, where you would not know what to do with it,
and that our expedition against you could have no fruitful result.
Moreover, we cannot pretend to be as strong as the King of Spain. The
King's troops leave us quietly enough to exercise our industry; but on
the day that we molested an envoy from the Emperor of the French, they
would direct against us several regiments, and we should soon have to
succumb. Allow me to add, that the gratitude which I owe to you is your
surest guarantee."
"Very well, I will trust in your words; I shall regulate my conduct by
your answer. Tell me if I can travel at night? It is fatiguing to me to
move from one station to another in the day under the burning influence
of the sun."
"You can do so, sir; I have already given my orders to this purpose;
they will not be infringed."
Some days afterwards, I left for Denia; it was midnight, when some
horsemen rode up to me, and addressed these words to me:--
"Stop there, señor; times are hard; those who have something must aid
those who have nothing. Give us the keys of your trunks; we will only
take your superfluities."
I had already obeyed their orders, when it came into my head to call
out--"But I have been told, that I could travel without risk."
"What is your name, sir?"
"Don Francisco Arago."
"_Hombre! vaya usted con Dios_ (God be with you)."
And our cavaliers, spurring away from us, rapidly lost themselves in a
field of "algarrobos."
When _my friend_ the robber of Cullera assured me that I had nothing to
fear from his subordinates, he informed me at the same time that his
authority did not extend north of Valencia. The banditti of the northern
part of the kingdom obeyed other chiefs; one of whom, after having been
taken, was condemned and hung, and his body divided into four quarters,
which were fastened to posts, on four royal roads, but not without
their having previously been boiled in oil, to make sure of their longer
preservation.
This barbarous custom produced no effect; for scarcely was one chief
destroyed before another presented himself to replace him.