FIRST INTERVIEW WITH FRANKLIN. 121 
to him; yet this does not prevent his discussing closely 
the proofs, the arguments of the ingenious astronomer. 
We could also now enter into a serious discussion. The 
mysterious veil that in Bailly’s time covered the East, is 
in great part raised. We now know the Astronomy of 
the Chinese and the Hindoos in all its detail. We know 
up to what point the latter had carried their mathematical 
knowledge. The theory of central heat has in a few 
years made an unhoped-for progress ; in short, compara- 
tive philology, prodigiously extended by the invaluable 
labours of Sacy, Rémusat, Quatremére, Burnouf, and 
Stanislaus Julien, have thrown strong lights on some 
historical and geographical questions, where there reigned 
before a profound darkness. Armed with all these new 
means of investigation, it might easily be established that 
the systems relative to an ancient unknown people, first 
creator of all the sciences, and relative to the Atlantida, 
rest on foundations devoid of solidity. Yet, if Bailly still 
lived, we should be only just in saying to him, as Voltaire 
did, merely changing the tense of a verb, “ Your two 
books were, Sir, treasures of the most profound erudition 
and the most ingenious conjectures, adorned with an elo- 
quence of style, which is always suitable to the subject.” 
FIRST INTERVIEW OF BAILLY WITH FRANKLIN.—HIS 
ENTRANCE INTO THE FRENCH ACADEMY IN 1783. 
—HIS RECEPTION.— DISCOURSE.—HIS RUPTURE 
WITH BUFFON. 
_ Bailly became the particular and intimate friend of 
Franklin at the end of 1777. The personal acquaint- 
ance of these two distinguished men began in the strang- 
est manner. 
One of the most illustrious members of the Institute, 
6 
