THE 
AMERICAN 
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, &c. 
Art. 1.—Historical Eulogy on the Marquis De Laplace, delivered 
at a public session of the Royal Academy of Sciences, June 15, 
1829; by M. Baron Founter.* 
Translated for this Journal, by F. Furber, Boston, Mass. 
Tue name of Lapxace has resounded in all parts of the world 
where the sciences are honored. His memory, however, cannot re- 
ceive a more worthy homage than the unanimous tribute of the ad- 
miration and the tears of the illustrious body whose labors and glory 
he has shared. He consecrated his life to the study of the greatest 
objects which can occupy the human mind. 
The wonders of the heavens, the lofty questions of natural philoso- 
phy, the ingenious and profound combinations of mathematical analy- 
sis, all the laws of the universe, were presented to his thoughts for more’ 
than sixty years, and his efforts crowned by immortal discoveries. 
Tt was remarked, from his earliest studies, that he was endowed 
with a prodigious memory ; all. the occupations of the mind were 
easy to him. He rapidly acquired a sufficiently extended acquaint- 
ance with the ancient languages, and also cultivated different branches 
of literature. Every thing interested the rising genius, every thing 
could unfold it. His first success was in theological studies; he 
treated with talent, and with an extraordinary sagacity, the most dif- 
ficult points of controversy. 
We are ignorant by what happy deviation Laplace passed from 
scholastic to high geometry. This last science, which scarcely ad- 
mits of any division, attracted and fixed his attention. After that, 
he abandoned himself, without reserve, to the impulse of his genius, 
and felt keenly that a residence in the capital had become to him 
necessary. D’Alembert then enjoyed all the éclat of his fame. — He 
ahs This is gentleman, our readers are probably % well aware, tas been desd ‘for some 
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