M. Arago'*s Histoi'ical Eloge of Joseph Fourier. 15 



rate enterprises brought to a happy conclusion ? Is more re- 

 quisite in order to account for that adventurous spirit, that 

 want of all care for the morrow, which appears to have been 

 one of the most striking features of the epoch of the Directory ? 

 Thus Fourier accepted, without hesitation, the offers which his 

 colleagues made to him in the name of the general-in-chief ; he 

 gave up the enviable office of professor in the Polytechnic 

 School to go — he knew not where, to do — he knew not what ! 



Chance placed Fourier during the voyage, in the same vessel 

 which carried Kleber. The friendship which the learned man 

 and the soldier vowed to each other from that moment, was not 

 without some influence on the events of which Egypt was the 

 theatre after the departure of Napoleon. 



He who put as his signature to the orders of the day : *' Mem- 

 ber of the Institute, Commander-in-chief of the army of the 

 East," could not fail to consider an academy as one of the means 

 for the regeneration of the ancient kingdom of the Pharaohs. 

 The valiant army which he commanded had scarcely achieved 

 the conquest of Cairo in the memorable battle of the Pyramids, 

 when the Institute of Egypt was formed. It was to be composed 

 of forty -eight members divided into four sections. ]\Ionge had 

 the honour of being its first president. As in Paris, Bonaparte 

 belonged to the mathematical sections. The office of perpetual 

 secretary being left to the free choice of the members, was una- 

 nimously given to Fourier. 



You have seen the celebrated geometrician discharging the 

 same duties in the Academy of Sciences ; you have appreciated 

 the extent of his knowledge, his enh'ghtened benevolence, his 

 constant affability, his straight-forward and conciliatory dispo- 

 sition. If you imagine as superadded to so many rare qualities, 

 that activity which youth and health alone can give, you will 

 have created anew the secretary of the Institute of Egypt, and 

 the likeness which I would make of him would grow dim be- 

 side the original. 



On the banks of the Nile, Fourier gave himself up to assi- 

 duous researches on almost all the branches of knowledge com* 

 prehended within the vast range of the Institute. The Decade 

 and the Courrier de VEgypte mention the titles of his different 

 works. I observe among them a memoir on the general sola- 



