146 EULOGY ON GAY-LUSSAC. 



mometer to 40<5 below freezing at a height of 7,049 meters, veriiled by 

 M. Bixio and M. Barrel during an ascension, undertaken at their own 

 expense, July 27, 1850, clearly prove that glorious discoveries are 

 awaiting those who will follow in their footsteps, provided they have 

 the necessary information and are furnished, as were these two phys- 

 icists, with a collection of exact instruments. It is sincerely to be 

 regretted that the ascensions, made almost every week, under circum- 

 stances more and more dangerous, and which, it may be i)ainfully pre- 

 dicted, will end in some terrible catastrophe, have turned aside the 

 friends of science from their projected voyages. I can imagine their 

 scruples, but without sharing them. The spots on the sun, the mount- 

 ains in the moon, the ring of Saturn and the belts of Jupiter have 

 never ceased to be objects of investigation to astronomers, although 

 now shown for ten centimes on the terre-plein of Pout-Keuf, at the foot 

 of the column of the Place Vendome, and at different points of our 

 boulevards. The public, now so discriminating and enlightened, would 

 not confound those who daily expose their lives for lucre, with physicists, 

 running the same risks to rob nature of some of its secrets. 



ASSOCIATION OF GAT-LUSSAO WITH M. DE HUMBOLDT — WORK ON THE 

 EUDIOMETER — TRAVELS IN ITALY AND GERMANY. 



However slightly conversant with the literary history of the tirst half 

 of this century, all have heard of the warm and profound friendship of 

 M. de Humboldt for Gay-Lussac, and of the influence it exerted over 

 the scientific career of the able chemist ; but it is not so well known 

 how it originated and was developed, and this deserves to be related. 



Before starting on the memorable journey which has made America 

 known to us under so many different aspects, M. de Humboldt prepared 

 himself for it by diligent study. The object of one of his researches was 

 the eudiometrical means in use to determine the constituent principles 

 of air ; this work, done in haste by an imperfect process, was somewhat 

 inaccurate. Gay-Lussac perceived this and criticised the error with an 

 alacrity that I would venture to condemn, if it were not rendered excu- 

 sable by the author's youth. It is unnecessary to mention that Berthollet 

 received M. de Humboldt on his return with the frank cordiality and 

 well-bred politeness which characterized the illustrious chemist, and 

 "which is engraved in indelible characters on the minds and hearts of all 

 ■who had the happiness of knowing him. 



One day, M. de Humboldt remarked, among the company assembled 

 in the salon of the country-seat of Arcueil, a tall young man of modest 

 but dignified bearing. " This is," said some one to him, "Gay-Lussac, 

 the physicst, who recently fearlessly ascended into the atmosphere to 

 the greatest height yet reached by man, to solve important scientific 

 questions." " This is," added Humboldt aside, " the author of the sharp 

 criticisms on my eudiometrical work." But soon mastering the sentiment 

 of resentment, naturally inspired by such a reflection on a high-spirited 



