436 JOSEPH FOURIER. 
directed works of such an expensive nature ; who, in the 
affair of the marshes of Bourgoin, had to contract en- 
gagements for so many millions, with private individuals, 
with the communes and with public companies, had not 
twenty thousand francs in his possession. ‘This honour- 
able poverty, as well as the recollection of glorious and 
important services, was little calculated to make an im- 
pression upon ministers influenced by political passion, 
and subject to the capricious interference of foreigners. 
A demand for a pension was accordingly repelled with 
rudeness. Be reassured, however, France will not have 
to blush for having left in poverty one of her principal 
ornaments. The Prefect of Paris,—I have committed a 
mistake, Gentlemen, a proper name will not be out of 
place here,—M. Chabrol, learns that his old professor at 
the Polytechnic School, that the Perpetual Secretary of 
the Institute of Egypt, that the author of the Théorie 
Analytique de la Chaleur, was reduced, in order to obtain 
the means of living, to give private lessons at the resi- 
dences of his pupils. The idea of this revolts him. He 
accordingly shows himself deaf to the clamours of party, 
and Fourier receives from him the superior direction of . 
the Bureau de la Statistique of the Seine, with a salary 
of 6,000 francs. It has appeared to me, Gentlemen, that 
I ought not to suppress these details. Science may show 
herself grateful towards all those who give her support 
and protection, when there is some danger in doing so, 
without fearing that the burden should ever become too 
heavy. 
Fourier responded worthily to the confidence reposed 
in him by M. de Chabrol. The memoirs with which he 
enriched the interesting volumes published by the Pre- 
fecture of the Seine, will serve henceforth as a guide to 
all those who have the good sense to see in statistics, 
