326 Memoir of Dr. Thomas Young. 



to lead to the presumption, that, sooner or later, this 

 curious kind of polarization would he attached to his 

 doctrine. There is still, however, a great hiatus to fill up. 

 Our ignorance of important properties of light prevents us 

 from understanding the phenomena in certain crystals 

 where double refraction produces peculiarity by the de- 

 struction of light, resulting from the intersection of 

 bundles of it. But it is to Young that the honour of hav- 

 ing opened this field of inquiry belongs ; it is he who first 

 decyphered these optical hieroglyphics. 



The word hieroglyphic, viewed no longer metaphorically 

 but in its natural acceptation, carries us to a field which 

 has been the scene of many animated debates. I have had 

 some hesitation in exposing myself to the feelings which 

 this question has raised. The secretary of an academy 

 exclusively occupied with the exact sciences might, without 

 any apology, leave the consideration of this philological 

 question to more competent judges. Besides, I hesitated, 

 I confess it, on finding myself disagreeing on several im- 

 portant points with the illustrious philosopher. 



All these scruples vanished when I reflected, that the inter- 

 pretation of the hieroglyphics is one of the most beautiful 

 discoveries of the age ; that Young has mixed up my name 

 with these discussions ; that, to examine lastly, if France 

 had any pretensions to this new glorious title, was to in- 

 crease my present object, it was to act like a proper citizen. 

 I am well aware of what may be objected to in these senti- 

 ments. I am not ignorant that cosmopolitism has its good 

 side; but, in truth, by what name could I not stigmatize 

 it, if, when all surrounding nations enumerate with satis- 

 faction the discoveries of their children, I should be pre- 

 vented from finding out in the land of my birth, among 

 my countrymen, without wounding their modesty, proofs 

 that France has not degenerated ; but that it still con- 

 tributes its proportionate addition to the vast depot of 

 human knowledge. I proceed then to the question of the 

 Egyptian writing, I proceed to it free from all pre-conceived 

 notions, with the firm desire of acting justly, and the 

 anxious wish of reconciling the rival pretensions of two 

 philosophers whose premature deaths have filled the whole 

 of Europe with a just subject of regret. 



