l8 M. Arago's Historical Eloge of' Joseph Fourier. 



of the Grand Vizier, did not crush the energy of the Janissa- 

 ries, who had seized on Cairo whilst the fighting was going on 

 at Heliopohs. They defended themselves from house to house 

 with, such heroic courage, that the French had only to choose 

 between the entire destruction of the town and an honourable 

 capitulation for the besieged. The latter was determined on : 

 Fourier, entrusted as usual with the negociation, carried it 

 through successfully ; but this time the treaty was not dis-. 

 cussed, agreed on, and signed, within the mysterious precincts 

 of a harem, on soft divans under the shade of balmy groves. 

 The parley took place in a house half demolished by cannon 

 balls and grape shot, in the centre of the quarter whose pos- 

 session the Janissaries bravely disputed with our soldiers, be- 

 fore a truce could be agreed on even for a few hours. Thus, 

 when Fourier was preparing to welcome the Turkish commis- 

 sioner according to the oriental custom, numerous shots were 

 fired from the opposite house, and one of them pierced through 

 the coffee-pot which he held in his hand. Without wishing to 

 call in question the bravery of any one, do you not think, gen- 

 tlemen, that if diplomatists were generally placed in as dange- 

 rous situations, the public would have less cause to complain of 

 their proverbial delays .? 



To unite under one point of view all the official services of 

 our indefatigable fellow member, I should still have to call 

 your attention to him on board the English fleet, at the period 

 of the capitulation signed by Menou, stipulating for various 

 conditions in favour of the members of the Institute of Egypt ; 

 but services not less important, although of a different nature, 

 also claim our attention. They oblige us to retrace our steps, 

 to return to the epoch of glorious memory, when Desaix com- 

 pleted the conquest of Upper Egypt, as much by the wisdom^ 

 the moderation, and the inflexible jiustice of all his actions, as 

 by the rapidity and boldness of his military operations. Bona- 

 parte at that time sent two numerous commissions to explore, 

 in these remote regions, a number of monuments whose exist- 

 ence was scarcely suspected by the moderns. Fourier and 

 Costaz were the commanders of these commissions ; I say the 

 commanders, as they had been provided with a tolerably im- 

 posing military force ; for it was often after a combat with the 



