M. Arago's Historical Eloge of Joseph Fourier. S41 



recital, with the deepest interest. He did not lose a syllable 

 of it, and one might have been positive that it was the first 

 time he had heard of these memorable events. So deHghtful 

 is it, gentlemen, to please, that on remarking the effect he had 

 produced, Fourier reverted in a still more detailed manner to 

 the chief battle of these great days ; to the taking of the forti- 

 fied village of Mattaryeh ; ito the passage of two small columns 

 of French grenadiers, through trenches filled with the dead 

 and wounded of the Ottoman army. " Ancient and modern 

 generals have sometimes spoken of similar feats,"" exclaimed our 

 fellow member, " but it was in the hyperbolical language of 

 bulletins. In this instance the fact is substantially correct ; 

 it is as true as geometry." " I feel, however,'' added he, " that 

 it will require all my assertions to induce you to believe it." 



*' Set your mind at rest on that point,*" replied the officer, 

 who seemed that instant to awake from a long dream, " Were 

 it necessary, I could vouch for the accuracy of your description. 

 It was I who, at the head of the grenadiers of the 13th and 

 15th demi-brigades, crossed the entrenchments of Mattaryeh, 

 by passing over the dead bodies of the Janissaries.'^ 



My neighbour was General Tarayre. It will be more easy 

 to imagine, than for me to describe, the effect of the few words 

 which had just escaped him. Fourier stammered out apolo« 

 gies, whilst I reflected on that seduction, that power of lan- 

 guage, which, for nearly half an hour, had made the celebrated 

 General forget the part he had played in tlie gigantic conflicts 

 which were being described to him. 



The more your secretary found it necessary to talk, the 

 greater aversion did he exhibit to verbal discussions. Fourier 

 cut short every debate, when it became evident, that there 

 was a marked difference of opinion, intending to resume the 

 same subject afterwards, and with the modest design of mak- 

 ing a slight advance each time. Some one asked Fontaine^ 

 the celebrated geometrician of this academy, what he did in 

 society, where he remained almost perfectly silent. " I study j*^ 

 replied he, " the vanity of men, in order to mortify it occa- 

 sionally.*' If, like his predecessor, Fourier also studied the 

 base passions which strive after honours, riches, and power, it 

 was not in order to struggle with them. Being resolved to 



