212 Memoir of M. D" Aubuisson de roisins. 



the general interests of cities. They may, in particular, 

 perceive from it, what is confirmed by so many other ex- 

 amples, on how little the fate of the most important project 

 often depends, in deliberative assemblies. At the sitting of 

 the municipal council on which the expediency of this great 

 measure of the establishment of fountains, and almost the 

 explicit mode of execution, so clear and simple, were decided 

 upon, the opinions were so divided, that the casting vote of 

 the mayor, M. De Bellegarde, was necessary to prevent the 

 indefinite postponement of the measure. And yet the town- 

 council of Toulouse then consisted of individuals of the 

 highest rank in the town, in regard to fortune, position, and 

 influence, and not a few of them were distinguished in our 

 political annals : they were certainly distinguished men, but 

 not hydraulicians, and M. D'Aubuisson had to obtain their 

 convictions and their votes, and remove the specious ob- 

 jections and the fears with which it was easy to inspire men 

 generally strangers to the sciences. Happily for the city he 

 succeeded ; and we would not have lingered so long over these 

 details, if we had not been desirous to shew that he possessed 

 not only the judgment and sagacity of a philosopher, but also 

 the rare talent of presenting his ideas in a lively and lucid 

 point of view, calculated to give thc-m effect, and, so to speak, 

 enforce conviction. 



No personal advantage, it may be necessary to state, 

 resulted from the execution of this project to M. D'Aubuis- 

 son himself; although he assumed a serious responsibility, 

 and engaged in a long and important occupation (for he had 

 the same anxiety about the execution of this scheme as he 

 had manifested in the delibei'ations upon it), he desired to 

 derive no other benefit from it than the satisfaction of being 

 useful, — a satisfaction altogether personal ; for he was well 

 aware in his own mind, that the gratitude of cities is not to 

 be calculated upon, and that one is speedily forgotten when 

 the good is accomplished. However this may be, this great 

 scheme was immediately undertaken, and the execution com- 

 pleted at the end of ten years, which may now appear to us 

 rather a long period ; but by this mode of proceeding the 

 revenues of the town felt the expenditure less, and there 



