A POLITICIAN. 31 
there married Mademoiselle Dupont, daughter of a mili- 
tary administrator born in that country. His political 
principles, the moderation of his conduct, and his varied 
knowledge, shortly procured him the honour of represent- 
ing the department of the Pas-de-Calais in the Legisla- 
tive Assembly. From this period Carnot gave himself 
up entirely to the imperious duties which were imposed 
on him, either by the choice of his fellow-citizens, or the 
voice of his colleagues. ‘The public character almost 
entirely absorbed that of the geometer: this last only 
showed itself henceforth at long intervals. 
Here, Gentlemen, two roads present themselves to me ; 
one is smooth and open, the other bordered by precipices. 
If I listened to some persons whose good will towards me 
has rendered them timid, I should not hesitate to choose 
the first. To take the other would be to incur, I am 
well aware, the reproach of imprudence and blindness. 
Heaven keep me from supposing that I am strong enough 
to struggle against such clear and decided opinions ; but 
wretched considerations of self-love will always vanish 
from my sight before the sentiment of duty. Now, I ask, 
should I not deeply wound the public conscience if, in this 
area consecrated to the arts, letters, and sciences, I con- 
fined myself to speaking of Carnot as an academician ? 
Without doubt one might, whilst developing before you 
the long series of discoveries of this or that illustrious 
savant, endowed during his life with the title of senator, 
legitimately—very legitimately—cry out that posterity 
would not preserve any recollection of functions without 
effect, and which, moreover, descending from one degra- 
dation to another, had ended by reducing themselves to a 
monthly communication with the treasury; but it would 
be an antinational and ungrateful act to apply such words 
