382 MEMOIR OF LOUIS JACQUES THENAED. 



That requital our savant was convinced lie should never solicit ; but who 

 can count upon anything ? One day, at the exit of the students from his lec- 

 ture, the door is found to be guarded by a force of the police, Avhose suspicions 

 involve the whole assemblage. Certain fugitives from a popular tumult 

 which had just been quelled had found means to make their way into tlie hall, 

 and confound themselves among the audience. In the clamor which results 

 the professor is drawn to the spot ; the students are at once quiet, but the po- 

 lice refuse to surrender the prisoners. The most that he can obtain is, that 

 those found with notes shall be liberated as students, and others are enlarged 

 on satisfactorily answering some scientific interrogatory which he propounds 

 to them. Fifty, however, of the more nnlucky are conducted to prison. At 

 seeing them led away, the heart of Thenard is touched ; he hastens to the 

 minister of the interior, but is badly received ; to the prefect of police, with no 

 better success. Suddenly a thought crosses him : " They promised me so much 

 on account of the cupola !" Immediately his steps arc turned to the Tuilleries, 

 and Avith difficulty obtaining an audience, he states the case respectfully but 

 wdrmly ; they are his cherislied pupils, his children ; he will be responsible for 

 them. "Yes," replies the king, with a smile, "but those who are ignorant of 

 chemistry have been put in prison. See my minister, however ; the case has 

 not been provided for." At midnight the gates of the prison open before 

 Thenard. "Gentlemen," he cries, "you are at liberty ;" then pausing a mo- 

 ment on the threshold, he adds, " On one condition, however — that you will 

 learn chemistry." 



Appointed counsellor of the University in 1830, "Thenard," says M. Girar- 

 din, " not only rendered to science the great services expected of him, but 

 proved himself an admirable man of business. Severe against abuses and neg- 

 ligence, no one lent himself with more lavish facility to all true reforms. 

 Much as he had to be proud of in this world, I have never known him prouder 

 and liappier about anything than the right conduct of the state colleges." For 

 four years he occupied a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, and as he had ac- 

 cepted it Avith reluctance, so he left it without regret, saying, as he repaired to 

 the scene of rejoicing for the election of his successor, " I am going to assist in 

 celebrating the restoration of my own liberty." His declaration that " he did 

 not meddle Avith anything but what he thoroughly understood," may be helcfc 

 to have been the rule of his public life. When a member of the higher cham- 

 ber he moved a revision of the laAvs of instruction, a reimpression of the works 

 of Laplace, and the national protection of the widows of learned men ; he gave 

 also a profound consideration to some of the questions relating to public indus- 

 try. The spirit of party exercised no dominion over him. Swayed by reason, 

 he set no value on administrative parade, preferring to all other authority that 

 which he exercised as an undoubted master in the domain of science. 



During an Academic career of forty-seven years, he constantly yielded a zeal- 

 ous support to whatever views or undertakings appeared to envelope^ a germ 

 of progress, and there was scarcely one of his colleagues who Avas not 

 indebted to him for the suffrage of an applauding voice. It Avas natural 

 that he should cherish a profound regard for the Academy Avhere his 

 fame, his services, and, above all, his habits of conciliation, assured the 

 highest authority to all his expressions of opinion. In private life he cheer- 

 fully accepted the obligations of his eminent scientific position, and his house, 

 open to merit of every description, Avas the abode of amenity and grace. A 

 certain vestige of its rustic origin, a simplicity Avhich recalled the character of 

 our central populations, gave to this amiable household only a new and pecu- 

 liar charm. In person Thenard Avas largo and Angorous, bearing erect a head 

 covered Avith a redundance of black hair, Avith features Avell marked and 

 animated by an eye of lively intelligence. It Avas impossible not to recognize 

 in him one of those orjxanizations on Avhich nature has lavished all the elements 



