1880—1882 105 



Claire Deville died. Pasteur was then reminded of the words 

 of his friend in 1868 : " You will survive me, I am your senior ; 

 promise that you will pronounce my funeral oration." When 

 formulating this desire, Sainte Claire Deville had no doubt been 

 desirous of giving another direction to the presentiments of 

 Pasteur, who believed himself death-stricken. But, whether 

 it was from a secret desire, or from an affectionate impulse, he 

 felt that none understood him better than Pasteur. Both loved 

 Science after the same manner ; they gave to patriotism its 

 real place ; they had hopes for the future of the human mind ; 

 they were moved by the same religious feelings before the 

 mysteries of the Infinite. 



Pasteur began by recalling his friend's wish: "And here 

 am I, before thy cold remains, obliged to ask my memory what 

 thou wert in order to repeat it to the multitude crowding around 

 thy cofifin. But how superfluous 1 Thy sympathetic counten- 

 ance, thy witty merriment and frank smile, the sound of thy 

 voice remain with us and live within us. The earth which 

 bears us, the air we breathe, the elements, often interrogated 

 and ever docile to answer thee, could speak to us of thee. Thy 

 services to Science are known to the whole world, and every 

 one who has appreciated the progress of the human mind is now 

 mourning for thee." 



He then enumerated the scientist's qualities, the inventive 

 precision of that eager mind, full of imagination, and at the 

 same time the strictness of analysis and the fruitful teaching so 

 delightedly recognized by those who had worked with him, 

 Debray, Troost, Fouque, Grandeau, Hautefeuille, Gernez, 

 Lechartier. Then, showing that, in Sainte Claire Deville, 

 the man equalled the scientist : 



' Shall I now say what thou wert in private life ? Again , 

 how superfluous ! Thy friends do not want to be reminded 

 of thy warm heart. Thy pupils want no proofs of thy affection 

 for them and thy devotion in being of service to them ! See 

 their sorrow. 



' Should I tell thy sons, thy five sons, thy joy and pride, of 

 the preoccupations of thy paternal and prudent tenderness? 

 And can I speak of thy smiling goodness to her, the com- 

 panion of thy life the mere thought of whom filled thy eyes 

 with a sweet emotion? 



" Oh ! I implore thee, do not now look down upon thy weep- 

 ing wife and afflicted sons : thou wouldst regret this life too 



