CONCLUSION. 115 
Equally with this illustrious general of Louis XIV. 
did Carnot omit his own participation, both in his private 
communications and when he wrote to the Convention. 
I have related to you the part he acted at the battle of 
Wattignies ; well, read the bulletin which that decisive 
and memorable event inspired him to write, and you will 
in vain seek a few words to recall the representative of 
the people; unless, indeed, we are determined to see 
them in this passage: “The Republicans charged for- 
ward with the bayonet, and remained victorious.” 
But all of you, who knew Carnot, will agree with me, 
that unless he was pressingly and directly solicited, he © 
would never entertain you with the European events 
which he had so often directed. Justly jealous of the 
esteem of France, the old Director, during his exile, 
answered the diatribes of his accusers in writing. His 
style on these occasions was lively, poignant, and cut 
deep; it was evident at each line that it proceeded from 
an ulcerated heart. Yet the most legitimate irritation 
never led him beyond the circle that his enemies had 
traced out. His defence in some parts might resemble 
an attack; but at bottom, on -close examination, it was 
still a defence. Carnot rejected far from him, the idea 
of raising a pedestal to himself with the immortal trophies 
that he had reaped during his Conventional and Directo- 
rial career. Modesty, Gentlemen, is a good alloy when 
it triumphs thus over anger. 
In regard to science, the illustrious academician was 
not less reserved. One would have said, indeed, that he 
regulated his conduct according to that reflection of the 
oldest and most ingenious of your interpreters: “ When 
a learned man speaks to instruct other men, and exactly 
in that line of instruction that they wish to acquire, he 
