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XLV. Memoir of G. Moll, LL.D., Professor of Physical 

 Sciences in the University of Utrecht, and Member of the 

 Academy of Brussels. By M. Quetelet.* 



T^HE sciences, like those who cultivate them, enjoy this 

 -*- happy privilege ; that in regard to them there exist no 

 political barriers, no national antipathies, nor even those kinds 

 of intellectual frontiers which, under the influence of lan- 

 guages, become established between the literatures of different 

 nations. They form a true republic, whose peace nothing 

 should ever disturb, and where merit alone leads to distinc- 

 tions, for the conferring of which there are needed no formal 

 resolves nor protecting regulations. The respectgiven to 

 talents, like the esteem accorded to virtue, is so inherent in 

 our nature, that it is not in our power to refuse it when it is 

 really deserved. As for us, members of this Academy, who, 

 by our studies and our tastes, find ourselves placed in peace- 

 ful regions, where the shocks of political dissensions cease to 

 be felt, we shall see in the philosopher who is the subject of 

 this memoir only the companion who took his place in the 

 midst of us, who took part in our labours and aided us by 

 his knowledge. 



Gerard Moll was born at Amsterdam on the 18th of January 

 1785. His parents, Gerard Moll and Anna Diersen, whose 

 only child he was, concentrated all their affections in him. 

 His father was engaged in commerce and was more than 

 usually well-informed: his mother especially possessed a very 

 cultivated understanding and a taste for poetry, to which she 

 applied herself with success ; it was she who attended to the 

 education of her son, and who watched and aided every 

 dawning of his intelligence. When he entered the schools his 

 progress was very rapid, and he was scarcely ten years old 

 before he spoke with facility, not only his mother tongue, but 

 the French and German languages. He had not neglected 

 the rudiments of Latin; but as he was intended to a life of 

 trade and business, the language of Cicero had to give place 

 to that of Watt. 



The youthful Gerard Moll was placed as an apprentice in 



• From the Annuaire de Bruxelles for 1839. The following note is sub- 

 joined. 



In writing this memoir we have principally availed ourselves of the 

 particulars derived from an obituary article published by Professor Van 

 Rees, (see Nos. 35 and 36 of the Letterbode for 1838) and in the tract, 

 L. G. Visscher Oratio de Gerardo Moll, read before the University of 

 Utrecht, the 26th of March 1838. M. Van Rees is one of M. Moll's 

 most distinguished pupils, and more than once rendered valuable assistance 

 to his master, whose worthy rival he had become. No one certainly was 

 more worthy than M. Van Rees of succeeding him in the duties of pro- 

 fessor and director of the Observatory of Utrecht. 



