XXXVI 



Antiquities. These lucrative appointments served only as incitements 

 to further exertions, and Mr. Wilson's useful and valuable labours 

 were continued almost to the day of his death. 



Mr. Wilson was not a laborious scholar and a prolific writer only, he 

 was also a careful and judicious inquirer. He was, indeed, a highly 

 accomplished man ; for with his profound knowledge of the languages 

 and literature of the East, he combined a familiarity with the ancient 

 and modern ones of Europe. To these he added skill in music and 

 in the histrionic art, in which he was an excellent performer. 



Mr. Wilson was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1834. 

 He married a grand-daughter of the celebrated Mrs. Siddons, and by 

 her, who survives him, had a family of sons and daughters. 



M. Louis POINSOT was born in Paris on the 3rd of January, 1777; 

 quitted the Ecole Polytechnique in the capacity of Ingenieur des 

 Ponts et Chaussees in 1796 ; was appointed Professor at the Lyce'e 

 Bonaparte ; Professor and Examiner of the pupils who had completed 

 the course of instruction at the Ecole Polytechnique, and member of 

 the Council for improving that institution. He was elected Member 

 of the Institute in 1813, in the place rendered vacant by the death 

 of Lagrange, by whom his future eminence had been predicted. He 

 became Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, Peer of France and 

 Senator. He died, unmarried, on the 5th of December, 1859, at the 

 age of nearly 83 years. The greater part of his life passed happily ; 

 while still young his talents were appreciated by the most eminent 

 judges ; in his advanced years he received the highest rewards from 

 his countrymen. With his simple habits, the emoluments of the 

 numerous and honourable appointments he held, and the profits of 

 nine large editions of his ' Statics,' in addition to a moderate family 

 inheritance, enabled him to leave at his death a fortune of upwards 

 of 1,200,000 francs. 



He was regarded as one of the most profound geometers in Europe. 

 His philosophic mind suggested new methods of scientific investigation. 

 His writings, always remarkable for their clearness and elegance, are 

 frequently expressed in language divested of the technicalities of 

 algebra. M. Chasles, alluding to Poinsot's new theory of rotation in 

 the preface to his 'Geometrie superieur,' expresses himself nearly in the 

 following terms : Nothing can be more beautiful than these direct, 



