124 BAILLY. 
1784. The merits of M. de Tressan were therein cele- 
brated with grace and delicacy. The panegyrist identi- 
fied himself with his subject. A select public loaded 
with praises various passages wherein just and profound 
ideas were clothed in all the richness of a forcible and 
harmonious style. 
Did any one ever speak with more eloquence of the 
scientific power revealed by a contemporary discovery ! 
Listen, Gentlemen, and judge. 
“ That which the sciences can add to the privileges of 
the human race has never been more marked than at the 
present moment. ‘They have acquired new domains for 
man. The air seems to become as accessible to him as 
the waters, and the boldness of his enterprises equals 
almost the boldness of his thoughts. The name of 
Montgolfier, the names of those hardy navigators of the 
new element, will live through time ; but who among us, 
on seeing these superb experiments, has not felt his soul 
elevated, his ideas expanded, his mind enlarged ? ” 
I know not whether, all things considered, the satisfac- 
tion of self-love which may be attached to academical 
titles, to his success in public and important meetings, 
ever completely rewarded Bailly for the heartaches he 
experienced in his literary career. 
A kind and tender intimacy had grown up between the 
great naturalist Buffon and the celebrated astronomer. 
An academical nomination broke it up. You know it, 
Gentlemen; amongst us a nomination is the apple of 
discord ; notwithstanding the most opposite views, every 
one then thinks that he is acting for the true interest of 
science or of letters; every one thinks that he is pro- 
ceeding in the line of strict justice ; every one endeavours 
earnestly to make proselytes. So far all is legitimate. 
