French Savants. 185 



was now Astronomer-Royal of France, and he invited 

 us to dine with him at the Observatory. The table 

 was surrounded by savants, who complimented me 

 on the " Mechanism of the Heavens." I sat next 

 M. Poisson, who advised me in the strongest manner 

 to write a second volume, so as to complete the 

 account of La Place's works ; and he afterwards 

 told Somerville, that there were not twenty men in 

 France who could read my book. M. Arago, who 

 was of the party, said, he had not written to thank 

 me for my .book, because he had been reading it, and 

 was busy preparing an account of it for the Journal 

 of the Institute. At this party, I made the acquaint- 

 ance of the celebrated astronomer, M. Pontecoulant, 

 and soon after, of M. La Croix, to whose works I was 

 indebted for my knowledge of the highest branches 

 of mathematics. M. Prony, and M. Poinsot, came 

 to visit me, the latter, an amiable and gentlemanly 

 person ; both gave me a copy of their works. 



We had a long visit from M. Biot, who seemed 

 really glad to renew our old friendship. He was 

 making experiments on light, though much out of 

 health ; but when we dined with him and Madame 

 Biot, he forgot for the time his bad health, and re- 

 sumed his former gaiety. They made us promise 

 to visit them at their country-house when we re- 

 turned to England, as it lay on our road. 



N 3 



