Historical Eloge of the Marquis De Laplace. 371 



It was about the same time that Laplace began that long 

 career which was destined to become so illustrious. 



He waited upon D'Alembert, preceded by numerous re- 

 commendations, which might have been considered as very- 

 powerful. But his attempts were vain, for he was not even 

 introduced. He then addressed to him whose suffrage he 

 solicited a very remarkable letter on the general pi'inciples of 

 mechanics, of which M. Laplace has frequently quoted to me 

 different fragments. It was impossible that a geometer like 

 D'Alembert could fail to be struck with the singular profound- 

 ness of this composition. On the same day he invited the 

 author of the letter, and thus addressed him : — " You see, 

 Sir, that I hold recommendations as of very little value ; — 

 you have no occasion for them. You have made yourself 

 better known ; — this is sufficient for me : You are entitled to 

 my support." In a few days lie succeeded in getting Laplace 

 nominated Professor of Mathematics in the Military School 

 of Paris, From that moment, devoted wholly to the science 

 which he had chosen, he gave to all his labours a fixed direc- 

 tion, from which he never deviated ; for the unchangeable 

 purpose of his mind has always been the principal feature of 

 his genius. He already trenched upon the known limits of 

 mathematical analysis ; — he was versed in the most ingenious 

 and powerful parts of this science ; and there was none more 

 capable than he of extending its domains. He had solved a 

 leading (juestion in theoretical astronomy. He formed the 

 project of consecrating his efforts to this sublime science; — 

 he was destined to perfect it, and was able to embrace it in 

 all its extent. He thought deeply upon his glorious purpose ; 

 and he spent his whole life in accomplishing it, with a perse- 

 verance of which the histoi'y of the sciences presents perhaps 

 no other example. 



The immensity of the subject flattered the just pride of his 

 genius. He undertook to compose the Almagest of his age. 

 This memorial he has left us under the name ol" the Mcca- 

 Tiicjue Celeste; antV his innnortal work surpasses that of 

 I'tolemy as much as the modern analysis surpasses the Elc- 

 ments of Euclid. 



Time, which is the only just dispenser of literary glory, and 

 which sinks into oblivion contemporary mediocrity, j)orpctii- 

 ates also the remembrance of great works. They alone con- 

 vey to |)osterily the character of each succeeding age. The 

 nanieoi' I.,aplace will thus live for ever; — but I hasten to adil, 

 that enlightened and im|)arlial history will never separate his 

 memory from that of the other successors of Newton. It will 

 conjoin the illustrioiis names of D'Alembert, Ciairaut, Euler, 



3 H 2 Lagrange, 



