ANNALS 



OF 



PHILOSOPHY. 



JUNE, 1814. 



Article I. 



Biographical Account of M. le Comfe Lagrange. By M. le 



Chevalier Delambre. 



{Concluded from p. 329.) 



jNI. LAGRANGE took possession of his situation on the 6th of 

 November, IJ^G. He was well received by the king; but soon 

 perceived that the Germans do not like to see foreigners occupy 

 situations in their country. He applied to the study of their lan- 

 guage. He devoted himself entirely to mathematics, and did not 

 find himself in the way of any person, because he demanded 

 nothing; and he soon obliged the Germans to give him their 

 esteem. " Tlie king," said he himself, " treated me well, I 

 thought that he preferred me to Eulcr who was something of a 

 devotee, while I took no part in the disputes about worship ; and 

 did not contradict the opinion of any one." This prudent reserve, 

 if it deprived him of the advantages of an honourable familiarity, 

 which would have been attended with some inconveniences, left 

 him tiie wliole of iiis time tor mathematical l;ibours, which hitherto , 

 had brouglit him nothing but compliments the most flattering and 

 the nio>t unanimous. '1 his concert of praises was only once inter- 

 rupted during the whole of his life. 



A French mathenjatician, who to much sagacity united a still 

 greater degree of seUishness, and scarcely gave himself the trouble 

 to study the works of others, accused M. Lagrange of having gone 

 astrny in l/ic new route ikul he had traced, from not having luell 

 nndrrslood the theory of it. He reproached him with havmg deceived 

 himself in his assertions and caUulations. Lagrange in rei)ly ex- 

 presbes some astonishment ;it these harsh expressions, w whicjj'he 

 was so little accustomed. He expected at least to have seen them 



Vol, ill. K' VI. -• C 



