172 EULOGY ON GAY-LUSSAC. 



progress, and our friend expired quietly and bravely on the 9tli of May,. 

 1850, at the age of seventy, and he might have said with one of ancient 

 times, " If it were given me to live my life over again, I would on all 

 ocasions do as I have done." 



The obsequies of the learned academician were solemnized May 11, 

 in the midst of a large concourse, including nearly the entire body of his 

 early associates of the Academy of Sciences, and some of the most dis- 

 tinguished members of other acadamies ; the entire institute testified in 

 this manner that it could not at that time have suffered a greater loss. 

 The early pupils of the Polytechnic School, the entire body of the two 

 present classes of the school, the friends of science, and many grateful 

 auditors of the two excellent courses of the Sorbonne and the Jardin des 

 Plant6s, also joined in the funeral procession. 



The various political opinions which unhappily divided our country 

 were blended together in this mournful train, and who could, indeed, 

 say to which of these parties Gay-Lussac belonged? What party could 

 flatter itself to have numbered the illustrious scientist in its ranks 1 

 The compatriots of our colleague once intrusted him with the honor 

 of representing them in the Chamber of Deputies. Later, as we have 

 seen, Louis Philippe made him peer of France ; but he approached the 

 tribunes of these two assemblies very rarely, and only to discuss 

 special questions relating to his favorite studies. Should this reserve 

 be attributed to timidity, or can it be simply explained by Gay-Lus- 

 sac's desire not to introduce any disturbing elements into the even cur- 

 rent of his life ? If this last supposition be correct, he was perfectly 

 successful, il^ever did the foulest of all calumnies, political calumny, 

 attack the scientific career of our associate. His works have escaped 

 the daily criticisms of those hireling writers who, before taking up the 

 pen, ask themselves, not what are the real merits of the memoirs whose 

 analysis they are about to publish, but what are the supposed opinions 

 of their authors upon the exciting and yet perplexing questions of social 

 organization. The discoveries of our colleague have always been ap- 

 preciated in France at their just value. We can, therefore, say of him, 

 in the words of Voltaire, written under a portrait of Leibnitz, " Even 

 in his own country he lived respected/' 



The recollections of the profound friendship which bound me to Gay- 

 Lussac for more than forty years have perhaps tempted me into too 

 minute details in writing his biography. However that may be, 

 I will sum up the history of this beautiful life in these few words : 

 Gay-Lussac was a good father, an excellent citizen, an honest man in 

 every event of his life, an ingenious physicist, and a peerless chemist. 

 He honored France by his moral qualities, and the academy by his 

 discoveries. His name will be uttered with admiration and respect in 

 every land where science is cultivated. Finally, the illustrious acade- 

 mician will live forever in the hearts and memories of all who had the 

 happiness to rejoice in his friendship. 



