NOMINATED AN ACADEMICIAN. 79. 
ties; but it proved otherwise. The intervention of M. 
de Laplace, before the day of ballot, was active and in- 
cessant to have my admission postponed until the time 
when a vacancy, occurring in the geometry section, might 
enable the learned assembly to nominate M. Poisson at 
the same time as me. The author of the Mécanique 
Céleste had vowed to the young geometer an unbounded 
attachment, completely justified, certainly, by the beauti- 
ful researches which science already owed to him. M. 
de Laplace could not support the idea that a young 
astronomer, younger by five years than M. Poisson, a 
pupil, in the presence of his professor at the Polytechnic 
School, should become an academician before him. He 
proposed to me, therefore, to write to the Academy that 
I would not stand for election until there should be a sec- 
ond place to give to Poisson. I answered by a formal. 
refusal, and giving my reasons in these terms: “I care 
little to be nominated at this moment. I have decided 
upon leaving shortly with M. de Humboldt for Thibet. 
In those savage regions the title of member of the Insti- 
tute will not smooth the difficulties which we shall have 
to encounter. But I would not be guilty of any rudeness 
towards the Academy. If they were to receive the dec- 
laration for which I am asked, would not the savans who 
compose this illustrious body have a right to say to me: 
‘How are you certain that we have thought of you? 
- You refuse what has not yet been offered to you.’” 
On seeing my firm resolution not to lend myself to the 
inconsiderate course which he had advised me to follow, 
M. de Laplace went to work in another way; he main- 
tained that I had not sufficient distinction for admission 
into the Academy. I do not pretend that, at the age of 
three-and-twenty, my scientific attamments were very 
