M. Arago's Historical Eloge of Joseph Fourier. 9 



The popular society of Auxerre would furnish us, if required, 

 with more than one example of these grievous contrasts. Thus 

 I may state that, within the same precincts where Fourier could 

 excite the honourable sentiments which I have had the pleasure 

 to mention, he had at another time to contend with a certain 

 orator, well intentioned perhaps, but assuredly a bad astrono- 

 mer, who, wishing as he said, not to leave it to the good plea- 

 sure of the municipal administrators, proposed that the names 

 Quarter of the North, East, South, and West, should be as- 

 signed by lot to the different parts of the town of Auxerre. 



Literature, the fine arts, and the sciences, seemed for a time 

 to be likely also to feel the happy influence of the French re- 

 volution. See for instance, with what enlarged ideas the re- 

 form in weights and measures was conceived ; on what vast 

 operations they resolved to found it ; what geometricians, what 

 astronomers, what eminent natural philosophers presided over 

 all the parts of this great work. Alas ! fearful internal con- 

 vulsions soon began to throw a gloom over this magnificent 

 spectacle. The sciences could not prosper amidst the deadly 

 struggle of factions. They would have blushed to owe any 

 thing to the men of blood, whose blind passions sacrificed the 

 Sarons, the Baillys, and the Lavoisiers. 



A few months after the 9th Thermidor, the Convention, 

 wishing to restore the country to ideas of order, civilization, 

 and internal improvement, thought of organizing a system of 

 public instruction; but where could they find professors.? The 

 religious establishments from which they were formerly chosen 

 were suppressed ; besides they had almost all emigrated. The 

 lay members of the teaching establishment having become offi- 

 cers of the artillery, the engineers, or the staff, were fighting 

 the enemies of France on the frontiers. Fortunately, during 

 this period of intellectual exaltation, nothing seemed impossi- 

 ble. Professors were awanting ; it was decreed that there should 

 be some immediately, and the Normal School was formed. Fif- 

 teen hundred citizens of all ages, sent by the chief towns, were 

 soon assembled together, not to study the different branches of 

 human knowledge in their ramifications, but to learn, under 

 the most celebrated masters, the art of teaching. 



Fourier was one of these 1500 pupils. It will excite asto- 



