Marquis De Laplace. 203 



ments, on the statical properties of electricity, on the velocity 

 of sound, on molecular action, and on the properties of gases, 

 testify that there was nothing in the investigation of nature 

 to which he was a stranger. He was particularly anxious about 

 the perfection of instruments, and he caused to be construc- 

 ted at his own expence, by a celebrated artist, a very valuable 

 astronomical instrument, which he gave to the Observatory of 

 France. i 



All kinds of phenomena were perfectly well known to him. 

 He was connected by an old friendship with two celebrated 

 chemists, whose discoveries have extended the boundaries of 

 the arts and of chemical theory. History will unite the names 

 of Berthollet and Chaptal to that of Laplace. It was his hap- 

 piness to reunite them ; and their meetings always had for 

 their object and for their results the increase of those branches 

 of knowledge, which are the most important and the most diffi- 

 cult to acquire. 



The gardens of Berthollet at his house at Arcueil were not 

 separated from those of Laplace. Great recollections and great 

 sorrows have rendered this spot illustrious. It was there that 

 Laplace received celebrated foreigners, men of powerful minds, 

 from whom science had either obtained or expected some bene- 

 fit, but especially those whom a sincere zeal attached to the 

 sanctuary of the sciences. The one had begun their career,— 

 the others were about to finish it. He received them with ex- 

 treme politeness : He went even so far that he led those who 

 did not know the extent of his genius, to believe that he might 

 himself draw some advantage from their conversation. 



In alluding to the mathematical works of Laplace, we have 

 particularly noticed the depth of his researches, and the im- 

 portance of his discoveries : But his works are distinguished 

 also by another character which all readers have appreciated, 

 — I mean the literary merit of his compositions. That which 

 is entitled the Systeme du Monde is remarkable for the ele- 

 gant simplicity of its style, and the purity of its language. 

 There had previously been no example of this kind of com- 

 position ; but we should form a very incorrect idea of the 

 work, were we to expect to acquire a knowledge of the phe- 

 nomena of the heavens in such productions. The suppression 



