1850—1854 55 



read a long extract from it, and then gave a viva voce demon- 

 stration relative to some crystallographic details. This 

 demonstration, which I had been specially desired to give, was 

 quite against the prevailing customs of the Academic I gave 

 it with my usual delight in that sort of thing, and it was 

 followed with great attention. Fortunately for me, the most 

 influential members of the Academie were present. M. Dumas 

 sat almost facing me. I looked at him several times, and he 

 expressed by an approving nod of his head that he understood 

 and was much interested. He asked me to his house the next 

 day, and congratulated me. He said, amongst other things, 

 that I was a proof that when a Frenchman took up crystal- 

 lography he knew what he was about, and also that if I 

 persevered, as he felt sure I should, I should become the 

 founder of a school. 



" M. Biot, whose kindness to me is beyond all expression, 

 came to me after my lecture and said, ' It is as good as it can 

 possibly be.' On October 14 he will give his report on my 

 work ; he declares I have discovered a very California. Do 

 not suppose I have done anything wonderful this year. This 

 is but a satisfactory consequence of preceding work." 



In his report (postponed until October 28) Biot was more 

 enthusiastic. He praised the numerous and unforeseen results 

 brought out by Pasteur within the last two years. "He 

 throws light upon everything he touches," he said. 



To be praised by Biot was a rare favour ; his diatribes were 

 better known. In a secret committee of the Academie des 

 Sciences (January, 1851) the Academie had to pronounce on 

 the merits of two candidates for a professorship at the College 

 de France : Balard, a professor of the Faculty of Science, chief 

 lecturer of the Ecole Normale, and Laurent the chemist, who 

 in order to live had been compelled to accept a situation as 

 assayer at the Mint. Biot, with his halting step, arrived at 

 the Committee room and spoke thus : " The title of Member 

 of the Institute is the highest reward and the greatest honour 

 that a French scientist can receive, but it does not constitute 

 a privilege of inactivity that need only be claimed in order to 

 obtain everything. . . . For several years, M. Balard has been 

 in possession of two large laboratories where he might have 

 executed any work dictated to him by his zeal, whilst nearly all 

 M. Laurent's results have been effected by his unaided personal 

 efforts at the cost of heavy sacrifices. If you give the college 



