154 JOSEPH FOURIER. 



Fourier. Tbey are covered with marginal notes, and tlie additions wLicli 

 they have occasioned amount to almost a third of the original discourse. 

 Upon these pages, as in the definitive work given to the. public, one 

 remarks a complete absence of proper names; the only exception is 

 in the case of the three generals-in-chief. Thus Fourier had imjiosed 

 upon liimself the reserve which certain vanities had blamed so severely. 

 I shall add that nowhere throughout the precious proof-sheets of M. 

 Champollion do we perceive traces of the miserable feelings of jealousy 

 which have been attributed to Napoleon. It is true that upon pointing 

 out with his finger the word illustrious applied to Kleber, the Emperor 

 said to our colleague, " Some one has directed my attention to this 

 epithet;" but, after a short pause, he added, "It is desirable that you 

 should leave it, for it is just and well deserved." These words, gentle- 

 men, honored the monarch still less than they branded with disgrace 

 the some one whom I regret not being able to designate in more definite 

 terms ; one of those vile courtiers whose whole life is occupied in spying out 

 the frailties, the evil passions of their masters, in order to make them 

 subservient in conducting themselves to honors and fortune ! 



Fourier had no sooner returned to Europe than he was named (Jan- 

 uary 2d, 1802) prefect of the department of I'lsere. The ancient Dau- 

 phiny was then a prey to ardent political dissensions. The republicans, 

 the partisans of the emigrants, those who had ranged themselves under 

 the banners of the consular government, formed so many distinct castes, 

 between whom all reconciliation appeared impossible. Well, gentle- 

 men, this impossibility Fourier achieved. His first care was to cause 

 the Hotel of the Prefecture to be considered as neutral ground, where 

 each might show himself without even the appearance of a concession. 

 Curiosity alone at first brought the people there, but the people returned ; 

 for in France they seldom desert the saloons wherein are to be found a 

 polished and benevolent host, witty without being ridiculous, and 

 learned without being pedantic. What had been divulged of the opin- 

 ions of our colleague, respecting the anti-biblican antiquity of the Egyp- 

 tian monuments, inspired the religious classes especially with lively 

 apprehensions ; they were very adroitly informed that the new prefect 

 counted a saint in his family ; that the blessed Pierre Fourier, who 

 established the religious sisters of the Congregation of Xotre-Dame, was 

 his grand-uncle, and this circumstance effected a reconciliation which 

 the unalterable respect of the first magistrate of Grenoble for all con- 

 scientious opinions cemented every day more and more. 



As soon as he was assured of a truce with the political and religious 

 parties, Fourier was enabled to devote himself exclusively to the duties 

 of his office. These duties did not consist with him in heaping up old 

 papers to no advantage. He took personal cognizance of the projects 

 which were submitted to him ; he was the indefatigable promoter of all 

 those which narrow-minded persons sought to stifle in their birth ; we 

 may include in this last class the superb road from Grenoble to Turin 



