INVITATION TO GENEVA. 279 



us not draw upon the future ; let us limit our- 

 selves to the present, and see whether what I 

 propose suits you. . . . Come ! let yourself be 

 persuaded. Sacrifice the capital to a provin- 

 cial town. At Berlin, no doubt, you would be 

 happy and honored ; at Geneva, you would 

 be the happiest, the most honored. Look at 

 , who shone as a star of the first magni- 

 tude at Geneva, and who is but a star of sec- 

 ond or third rank in Paris. This, to be sure, 

 would not be your case ; nevertheless, I am 

 satisfied that at Geneva, where you would be 

 a second de Saussure, your position would be 

 still more brilliant. I know that these motives 

 of scientific self-love have little weight with 

 you ; nevertheless, wishing to omit nothing, I 

 give them for what they are worth. But my 

 hope rests far more on the arguments I have 

 first presented ; they come from the heart, and 

 with you the heart responds as readily as the 

 genius. But enough ! I will not fatigue you 

 with farther considerations. I think I have 

 given you all the points necessary for your 

 decision. Be so kind as to let me know as 

 soon as possible what you intend to do. Have 

 the kindness also not to speak of the contents 

 of this letter, and remember that it is not the 

 Rector of the Academy of Geneva, but the 



