8 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 
had studied in Legrange’s “ Fonctions <Analytiques.” 
“ Finally,” said the examiner to me, “how do you de- 
termine the tension of the various cords of which a 
funicular machine is composed?” I treated this prob- 
Jem according to the method expounded in the “ Mé- 
canique Analytique.” It was clear that Lagrange had. 
supplied all the resources of my examination. 
I had been two hours and a quarter at the board. 
M. Monge, going from one extreme to the other, got up, 
came and embraced me, and solemnly declared that I 
should occupy the first place on his list. Shall I confess 
it? During the examination of my comrade I had heard 
the ‘Toulousian candidates uttering not very favourable 
sarcasms on the pupils from Perpignan; and it was 
principally for the sake of reparation to my native town 
that M. Monge’s behaviour and declaration transported 
me with joy. 
Having entered the Polytechnic School, at the end of 
1803, I was placed in the excessively boisterous brigade 
of the Gascons and Britons. I should have much liked 
to study thoroughly physics and chemistry, of which I 
did not even know the first rudiments; but the behaviour 
of my companions rarely left me any time for it. As 
for analysis, I had already, before entering the Poly- 
technic School, learnt much more than was required for 
leaving it. 
I have just related the strange words which M. Monge, 
junior, addressed to me at Toulouse in commencing my 
examination for admission. Something analogous oc- 
curred at the opening of my examination in mathematics 
for passing from one division of the school to another. 
The examiner, this time, was the illustrious geometer 
Legendre, of whom, a few years after, I had the honour 
of becoming the colleague and the friend. 
