IS 13.] M. de Lagrange. 5 



we have never any occasion to recur to it again ; we have learned 

 the whole, and never can forget it. In this generality of his 

 views he rises above Euler. Euler, indeed, possesses other 

 advantages : in the immense variety of his works he lays open a 

 multitude of extraordinary means, and a fertility of invention, 

 which nothing can stop. Mathematicians, by reading him, learn 

 all the secrets of the science ot mathematics; but M. de Lagrange 

 alone can offer them the model of that perfection, almost ideal, 

 which we ought to endeavour to attain. 



Notwithstanding what we have said, we should leave a very 

 imperfect character of Lagrange, if we did not notice his wit. 

 He possessed it in such perfection that it alone would have raised 

 the reputation of any other person but M. de Lagrange. What a 

 turn of thinking must he have had, who, by way of relaxation 

 from the most abstract studies, made choice of the history of 

 religion and of medicine ! It is true that in consequence of this 

 investigation he lost all confidence in medicine; but this scep- 

 ticism was so simple and tolerant, that if it was an error it was 

 impossible not to forgive it. This philosopher, who knew so 

 many things, was exceedingly ready to acknowledge his igno- 

 rance. These simple words, J do not know, were his favourite 

 expression. He generally began and finished in this manner the 

 statement of his doubts. He was not apt to be satisfied with 

 words, nor to stop at the surface of things. He deprived opinions 

 and things of the envelope with which they are usually covered ; 

 and when he had thus exposed them naked, he gave his thoughts 

 respecting them, usually in an original and lively manner, as 

 remarkable for depth of sense as for fineness of expression. 

 Many of his sayings are well known. One of his friends was 

 speaking to him of an opinion which, alternately adopted and 

 rejected, admitted and modified, by philosophers, had become at 

 last a popular prejudice. " What ! " said M de Lagrange, " are 

 you astonished at that ? It is the very thing which always 

 happens. Prejudices are nothing else than the cast clothes of 

 philosophers, in which the rabble dress themselves." We state 

 tlii- anecdote because it points out well the nature of his observa- 

 tions. 



Though his figure was good, he would never permit his por- 

 trait to be drawn. He thought that the productions of the mind 

 wi re alone entitled to survive. If his face remains unknown, the 

 remembrance of hi- genius will last as long as civilization conti- 

 nues to dwell upon earth. 



