108 Lagrange’s Memoirs. 
and the most sustained. When he afterwards married in France 
Mademoiselle Lemonnier, daughter of our celebrated astronomer, he 
said to us, je n’at point eu d’enfans de mon premier marriage, je ne 
sais st j’en aurai du second, je n’en desire quéres. What he chiefly 
desired, was an amiable companion, whose society could offer him 
some relaxation in the intervals of his labors. In this respect there 
was nothing more to be desired. Madame la Comtesse Lagrange, 
daughter, granddaughter, and niece of members of the Academy of 
Sciences, was worthy of appreciating the name which he was to 
make her wear. This advantage, restoring in her eyes. the inequal- 
ity of their ages, she soon conceived for him the most tender attach- 
ment. He was thankful for it to such a degree, that he could 
scarcely bear to be separated from her, since it was for her alone, 
ia he felt any regret in leaving life: and since in fine he was 
heard often to say, that of all his successes, what he valued most 
was, that they had made him obtain a companion so. tender and so 
devoted. During the ten days that his sickness lasted, she did not’ 
lose sight of him a moment, and employed them constantly in re- 
viving his powers, and prolonging his existence. 
He loved retirement, but did not require it of the young wife 
whom he’ had married: he went out then oftener, and showed him- 
self in the world, where, on other accounts, his dignities obliged him 
to appear. Very often it could be perceived that he pursued thither 
his meditations, begun in his study ; it was said that he was not in- 
sensible to the charms of music. In effect, when a reunion was 
numerous, he was not displeased that a concert should interrupt the 
conversation, and attract all attention. On one of these occasions, 
Lasked of him what he thought of music? Je P aime, parce qu’ 
elle m’ isole, j’ en écoute les trois premieres mesures, a la quatrsean 
je ne wemague plus rien, je me livre a mes refliivnd, rien ne m’ in- 
terrompt, et c’ est ainsi que j’ ai resolus plus d? un probléme difficile. 
Thus for him, the finest work in music must have been that to which 
he owed the most happy i inspirations. 
Though he was blessed with a venerable figure, on which was 
delineated his fine character, yet never would he consent to sit for 
his portrait. More than once, by an address of a fair pretext, they 
had led him in to the sittings of the Institute, in order to paint it 
without his knowledge. An artist sent by the academy of Turin, drew 
in this manner the sketch from which he made the bust so often eX- 
posed in the hall of our private sessions, and still adorning our library: 
