EULOGY ON GAY-LUSSAC. 167 



■which he had before attempted, but without success, according to the 

 former determinations of Norwood. His object was to ascertain whether 

 the force which retains the moon in its orbit and j)revents its escaping 

 in a tangent by virtue of the centrifugal force, was not the same 'as that 

 which causes bodies to fall at the surface of the earth, diminished only 

 in the ratio of the square of the distances measured from the center of 

 our globe. This time the numerical calculation justified the anticipa- 

 tions. The great man experienced such delight, this coincidence pro- 

 duced so touch nervous excitement, that he was incapable of verifying 

 his numerical calculation, as simple as it was, and found himself obliged, 

 for the purpose, to have recourse to a friend. 



Let us not omit, when the opportunity occurs, to show that calm 

 scientific labors afford not only more durable emotions than those 

 derived from the frivolities of the world, but that they are often accom- 

 panied by the same vivacity. 



There was in Gay-Lussac's laboratory, by the side of furnaces, retorts, 

 and apparatus of every kind, a small white wooden table, on which our 

 friend recorded the results of his experiments as they progressed. It 

 was, if I may be allowed the comparison, the exact bulletin written 

 during battle. It was on this little table that were also traced the 

 articles concerning different points of doctrine or questions of priority. 



It would be impossible, in relating the life of a man whose chief 

 works date back to the beginning of this century, the period of an entire 

 renovation in chemistry, that we should not have to mention discussions 

 of this kind. These scientific polemics took place especially between 

 Gay-Lussac, Dalton, Davy, Berzelius, &c. You see our friend dealt 

 with doughty antagonists, with adversaries worthy of him. In these 

 discussions our old friend marched straight forward, regardless of any 

 one, with the vigor, let us say more, with the dryness, of a mathematical 

 demonstration. Earely do we find in them phrases like the balm applied 

 to freshly-made wounds. But how is it that no one has remarked that 

 Gay-Lussac treated himself with a want of ceremony quite equal to that 

 which he used toward others *? 



The following lines are quoted literally from one of his writings : "The 

 results that I have given," said he, in the Memoirs of Arcueil, "of the dif- 

 ferent combinations of azote and oxygen are not exact.'' 



Should not he who criticises his ow'n works so frankly be excusable 

 for being so exclusively i^reoccupied with the interests of truth in ex- 

 amining the works of others ? 



MARRIAGE OF GAY-LUSSAC — HIS LOVE FOR HIS NATIVE LAND— UN- 

 CHANGEABLE DEVOTION TO HIS FRIENDS — HIS NO:\IINATION TO THE 

 PEERAGE. 



Those who only knew Gay-Lussac slightly, fancy there could have 

 been no romance in his private life. Perhaps they will change their 

 opinion after hearing this recital. 



