M. Arago's Historical Eloge of Joseph Fourier. 17 



to oppose, and an inflexible love of justice, had given him an 

 ascendency over the Mussulman population, which the precepts 

 of the Koran scarcely left room to hope for, and which were 

 of great use in keeping up friendly relations between the 

 inhabitants of Cairo and the French soldiers. Fourier was 

 especially an object of veneration among the Sheiks and the 

 Ulemas. A single anecdote will shew that this sentiment was 

 caused by the liveliest gratitude. 



The Emir Hadji, or chief of the caravan, whom General 

 Bonaparte had appointed on arriving at Cairo, made off during 

 the campaign of Syria. There were at that time very strong 

 reasons for believing that four Sheiks Ulemas were accom- 

 plices in the treason. On returning to Egypt, Bonaparte en- 

 trusted the examination of this serious affair to Fourier. Do 

 not propose half measures to me, said he ; you have to deal 

 with great personages : you must either cut off their Tieads or 

 invite them to dinner. The day after this conversation the 

 four Sheiks dined with the General-in-Chief. In following the 

 dictates of his heart, Fourier not only performed an act of hu- 

 manity, it was also excellent policy. Our learned fellow mem- 

 ber, M. Geoffroy Saint Hilaire, from whom I have the anec- 

 dote, says, in proof of this, that Soleyman el Fayoumi, the 

 principal of the Egyptian chiefs, whose punishment, thanks to 

 our fellow member^ was so happily changed to a banquet, took 

 every occasion among his countrymen of praising French gene- 

 rosity. 



Fourier shewed no less skill when our Generals entrusted him 

 with diplomatic missions. It is to his finesse and his suavity 

 that our army was indebted for a treaty of alliance, offensive 

 and defensive, with M our ad Bey. Fourier, justly proud of the 

 result, neglected to make known the details of the negociation. 

 This is deeply to be regretted, for the plenipotentiary of Mou- 

 rad was a woman, the same Sitty Neji(;ah whom Kleber has 

 immortalized by celebrating her benevolence and her noble 

 character in the bulletin of Heliopolis ; and who, moreover, 

 was already renowned from one end of Asia to the other, on 

 account of the bloody revolutions which her matchless beauty 

 had caused among the Mamelukes. 



The unequalled victory which Kleber gained over the army 



VOL. XXVI. NO. LI. JANUARY 1839. B 



