EULOGY ON ARTHUR AUGUSTE DE LA RIVE. 



Bv M. Dumas, Permanent Secrctari/. 

 Pronounced before the Acadcuiy of Sciences of the Frencli Institute on tlie 26th of 



December, 1874. 



Gentle:\len : One year ago the Academy of Sciences received with 

 prolbund sorrow the unexpected announcement of the death of one of 

 its eigbt foreign associates, M. Auguste De La Eive. The rare talents 

 of tills eminent physicist, his warm heart, and high moral character, 

 won for him In his native city universal affection. Geneva mourned for 

 him with, deep and sincere regret, for she lost in him an eminent philoso- 

 pher and professor, who added to the renown of her justly-celebrated 

 academy ; a citizen whose loyalty had frequently been tested in times 

 of trouble; and a useful member of society, whose generous hospitality 

 delighted in gathering around his fireside representatives of the science, 

 art, letters, and politics of all nations. 



But Geneva was not alone in her grief. The services of M. Auguste 

 De La Rive were such as the whole world recognizes, and of which 

 posterity cherishes the memory. France, at least, cannot forget that 

 if in time of prosperity she found in him always a faithful and provident 

 friend, whose solicitude for her reputation seemed sometimes almost chi- 

 merical, she was none the less sure of his active sympathy in days of 

 misfortune. When Switzerland opened her heart to our soldiers, who, 

 betrayed by fortune and decimated by the sword, cold and hunger, had 

 retreated to the snows of the Jura, Auguste De La Rive and his associates 

 brought to them succor and consolation ; not unmindful that our two races, 

 united by an old friendship, had often mingled their blood under the 

 same flag. 



It was not only to the illustrious physicist that his native city rendered 

 the homage in which we this day unite. To the happy gifts bestowed by 

 nature was atlded the prestige of an ancient and honorable name. The 

 family ofDe Laliivemay be traced back to Ripade Mondovi, and is, in 

 fact, one of those in which is personified the history of Geneva. From 

 the twelfth century, for more than four hundred years, it is found in the 

 first rank of the government archives of the city ; from the fourteenth 

 century, it includes a judge of Piedmont; a lieutenant of police, op- 

 posed to the Reformation, and exiled from Geneva for having advocated 

 in secret the Catholic religion ; a plenipotentiary, charged with demand- 

 ing of Henry IV, in favor of the Genevese, certain privileges which were 

 only granted by royal patents ; an envoy of the canton, sent to Louis 

 XIV, when asylum was given by the small republic to the refugees who 



