1813.] M. de Lagrange. 3 



most difficult questions of general astronomy. This did not 

 prevent him from sending likewise papers to the Turin Academy, 

 which had been honoured by his first successful efforts. No man 

 possessed of less extent of genius, and less fecundity of inven- 

 tion, could have ventured to succeed such a philosopher ;.s 

 Euler ; but every person must acknowledge that Euler had a 

 worthy successor. 



During his residence in Berlin, M. de Lagrange married, not 

 so much from any inclination for the state, as because it was cus- 

 tomary for the academicians to be married. This union was 

 followed by several misfortunes. M. de Lagrange had a child, who 

 died, we are informed, while young. His wife died, likewise, 

 after a tedious and painful disease. M. de Lagrange took care of 

 her during her illness with the most inviolable attachment, 

 hardly ever leaving her, and contriving new methods for her 

 cure. This second loss rendered his abode in Berlin disagree- 

 able : besides, he was afraid that the tranquillity of Prussia 

 would be interrupted. These motives caused him to listen to the 

 offers which were made to induce him to go to France, where he 

 hoped to enjoy greater tranquillity. He reached that country in 

 1787, and was soon after surprised by the Revolution. He 

 passed through it without experiencing any personal misfortune. 

 About this period his Mecairiqite Analytique appeared. M. de 

 Lagrange had sent the manuscript from Berlin, and had en- 

 trusted the publication of it to one of the most celebrated 

 French mathematicians. It had been printed for two years 

 before Lagrange even thought of opening it j and when a 

 gentleman to whom he communicated the circumstance ex- 

 pressed his astonishment at so much jndifference, " I was dis- 

 gusted," said he, " with these kinds of combinations, and I set 

 myself to learn chemistry, which I now find easy, for it may be 

 learned in the same manner as algebra." It is necessary to be a 

 Lagrange to seek in algebra a model of facility. It is remarkable 

 that the taste for mathematics may be thus destroyed, and revive 

 again. D'Alembert seems to have undergone the same kind of 

 change. 



In 175)2 M. de Lagrange married, a second time, a young and 

 beautiful lady, daughter of M. Lemonnier, one of his fellow 

 members of the Academy. She rendered his life very happy. 

 He observed in his last moments that he found death easy, and 

 that his regret in leaving an excellent wife could alone make it 

 painful. Whefi, after the events of Thermidor, public instruction 

 was again re-established, M. de Lagrange was named Professor 

 in the Normal School. The lectures which he there delivered 

 have been printed. When the Polytechnic School was formed, 

 he was likewise one of its first Professota ; and those who had 

 the happiness to hear him know with what respect he was 



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