278 FRESNEL. 



the place of temporary examiner. Besides, this office is 

 extremely laborious, and experience has sufficiently 

 shown, that sinecures are the places sought after with 

 more especial ardour. Fresnel then continued his former 

 functions : but at the close of the examination of 1824, 

 an attack of hemoptysis forced him to retire from his 

 labours, and caused the most serious alarm to his friends. 

 From this moment our unfortunate colleague was obliged 

 to abandon every scientific research which required close 

 attention, and to devote solely to the business of the light- 

 houses the few moments of relief which his malady left 

 him. The most tender and marked attentions soon be- 

 came powerless against the rapid progress of the disease. 

 It was then resolved to try the effects of country air ; 

 alas ! but a too evident indication of the little hope enter- 

 tained by the skilful physician in whom Fresnel confided. 

 However, not to distress his family, our unfortunate col- 

 league affected to entertain hope, and at the beginning of 

 June, 1827, he was removed to Ville d'Avray. There 

 he saw the approach of death with the calmness and re- 

 signation of a man whose whole conduct had been without 

 reproach. A young engineer of high distinction, M. Du- 

 leau, found, in the lively friendship which united him to 

 our colleague, an irresistible impulse to take part in the 

 melancholy kind offices of which he was the object ; and 

 he also established himself at Ville d'Avray. M. Duleau 

 was the first who informed us how little Fresnel was 

 under any delusion as to his condition. " I could have 

 wished," he exclaimed sometimes (when the presence of 

 a mother and a brother, who were agitated by poignant 

 disquietude, did not impose upon him a reserve which his 

 tender feelings for them would not infringe), " I could 

 have wished to live longer, because I perceive that there 



