LETTERS OF A CITIZEN. 445 



feel half convinced that this part of the model might be tinkered 

 a little for the better ? 



Observations on the magnetic dip present rather a meager 

 record. They were by no means equal to those made during 

 the two preceding French voyages, or by the late English expe- 

 ditions to the Arctic Sea. Indeed, all the needles appear to have 

 been spoiled during the voyage, and great discordances appear 

 among the results given by different needles at the same locality ; 

 they were only used, however, at sixteen places on shore. By 

 the " sweet flowers of Suc-a-Sunny,"* you are ready to exclaim, 

 " what ignorance, what presumption is this ? Attempt to criticise 

 this great work, on which I have preached so much to members 

 of Congress, to the president, to everybody who would listen to 

 me !" Be patient, sir. If your zeal to defeat or cripple the ex- 

 ploring expedition has placed you in an untenable position, the in- 

 discretion is your own, not mine ; and you must abide the issue. 

 Yes, sir, prepare for utter confusion and defeat, when I tell you 

 that all and much more than I have said of your venerated model 

 is sustained by the opinion of the great Arago, the imbodied 

 soul of the science of Europe ; and if it were not, the committee 

 of the Naval Lyceum in their report have endorsed his wonderful 

 attainments, and fixed for you the standard of his authority. 



" In 1829, immediately after the return of the Astrolabe," says 

 Arago, in his critique, " Captain D'Urville presented to the Acad- 

 emy of Sciences a series of works of every kind executed during 

 the long voyage of that vessel. Before the same body he read 

 his memoirs, and solicited its judgment ; and a commission was 

 accordingly appointed. M. Rossel made a favourable report on 

 the hydrographical part of the voyage, designating the officers 

 who executed the work. On the 26th of August, George Cuvier 

 paid a just compliment to the ability and zeal of the zoologists 

 of the Astrolabe, M. Quoy, the volunteer, and his assistant, Gay- 

 mard." M. D'Urville is complimented in the report as having 

 " personally collected a part of the insects of the collection de- 

 posited in the garden of plants." 



On the 16th of November a tribute of praise was again award- 

 ed to M. Quoy and his assistant, M. Gaymard, for the geological 

 specimens they had brought home ; and, finally, the venerable 



* Name of the honourable secretary's country residence in New -Jersey. 

 PP 



