THE 



EDINBURGH 

 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 



Art. I. — Historical Eloge of the Marquis De Laplace.^ 

 By M. Le Baron Fourier. 



The name of Laplace has been heard in every part of the 

 world where the sciences are honoured ; but his memory could 

 not receive a more worthy homage than the unanimous tribute 

 of the admiration and sorrow of that illustrious body who shar- 

 ed in his labours and in his glory. He consecrated his life to 

 the study of the grandest objects which can occupy the human 

 mind. 



The wonders of the heavens, — the lofty questions of natu- 

 ral philosophy, — the ingenious and profound combinations of 

 mathematical analysis, — all the laWs of the universe have been 

 presented to his thoughts during more than sixty years, and 

 his efforts have been crowned with immortal discoveries. 



From the time of his first studies it was remarked that he 

 possessed a prodigious memory : all the occupations of the 

 mind were easy to him. He acquired rapidly a very extensive 

 knowledge of the ancient languages, and he cultivated differ- 

 ent branches of literature. — Every thing interests rising ge- 

 nius. Every thing is capable of revealing it. His earliest 

 success was in theological studies ; and he treated with talent 



* Pronounced at the public sitting of the Royal Academy of Sciences on 

 the 15th June 1829. 



NEW SERIES. VOL. I. NO. II« OCT, 1829- N 



