TRANSLATORS' PREFACE. 



THE present volume of the series of English 

 translations of M. Arago's works consists of his 

 own autobiography and a selection of some of 

 his memoirs of eminent scientific men, both con- 

 tinental and British. 



It does not distinctly appear at what period 

 of his life Arago composed the autobiography, 

 but it bears throughout the characteristic stamp 

 of his ardent and energetic disposition. The 

 reader will, perhaps, hardly suppress a smile at 

 the indications of self-satisfaction with which 

 several of the incidents are brought forward, 

 while the air of romance which invests some 

 of the adventures may possibly give rise to 

 some suspicion of occasional embellishment ; on 

 these points, however, we leave each reader to 

 judge for himself. In relation to the history of 



science, this memoir gives some interesting par- 

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