Marquis Dc Laplace. S77 



minister of a great nation. What is of importance are the 

 eternal truths which he discovered ; — the immutable laws of 

 the stability of the world, and not the rank which he occupied 

 for a few years in the conservative senate. — What is of im- 

 portance, and perhaps still more so even than his discoveries, 

 is tlie example which he has left to all those who love the sci- 

 ences, and the recollection of that incomparable perseverance 

 Avhich has sustained, directed, and crowned so many glorious 

 tsftbrts. 



I shall omit, therefore, all the accidental circumstances and 

 peculiarities which have no connection with the perfection of 

 his works. But I will mention, that in the first body in the 

 state the memory of Laplace was celebrated by an eloquent 

 and friendly voice, which important services rendered to the 

 historical sciences, to literature, and to the state, have for a 

 long time illustrated *. 



I shall particularly mention that literary solemnity which 

 attracts the attention of the capital. The French Academy, 

 uniting its sutfrages to the acclamations of the country, consi- 

 dered that it would acquire a new glory by crowning f the 

 triumphs of eloquence and of political virtue. 



At the same time it chose to reply to the successor of La- 

 place, an illiistrious academician \, with more than one claim, 

 who united in literature, in history, and in the public adminis- 

 tration, every species of talent. 



Laplace enjoyed an advantage which fortune does not al- 

 ways grant to great men. From his earliest youth he was 

 justly appreciated by his illustrious friends. We have now 

 before us impublished letters, which exhibit all the zeal of 

 D'Alembert to introduce him into the Military School of 

 France, and to prepare for him, if it had been necessary, a 

 better establishment at Berlin. The president Bochard de 

 Saron caused his first works to be printed. All the testimo- 

 nies of friendship which have been given to him recall great 

 labours and great discoveries ; but nothing could contribute 

 more to the-progress of the physical sciences than his relations 

 witii tiie illustrious Lavoisier, whose name, consecrated in the 

 history of science, has become an eternal object of our sorrow 

 and esteem. 



These two celebrated men united their efforts. They un- 

 dertook and finished very extensive researches in order to 

 measure one of the most important elements of the physical 

 thcor\' of iieat. About the same time, they also made a long 

 series of experiments on the dilatation of solid substances. The 



* M. Le Marquis Pastorct. f M. Royer-CoUard. 



X M. Lc Conite Darn. 

 N. S. Vol. G. No. 35. Nov. 1829. 3 C works 



