PRESENTED TO THE EMPEROR. 83 



right, not leaving me time to answer the simple enough 

 question just addressed to me, hastened to say, 



" His name is Arago ? " 



" What science do you cultivate ? ' 



My neighbour on the left immediately replied, 



" He cultivates astronomy." 



" What have you done ? ' : 



My neighbour on the right, jealous of my left hand 

 neighbour for having encroached on his rights at the sec- 

 ond question, now hastened to reply, and said, 



" He has just been measuring the line of the meridian 

 in Spain." 



The Emperor imagining doubtless that he had before 

 him either a dumb man or an imbecile, passed on to 

 another member of the Institute. This one was not a 

 novice, but a naturalist well known through his beautiful 

 and important discoveries ; it was M. Lamarck. The 

 old man presented a book to Napoleon. 



" What is that ? "' said the latter, " it is your absurd 

 meteorology, in which you rival Matthieu Laensberg. It 

 is this ' annuaire ' which dishonours your old age. Do 



v O 



something in Natural History, and I should receive your 

 productions with pleasure. As to this volume, I only 

 take it in consideration of your white hair. Here ! " 

 And he passed the book to an aide-de-camp. 



Poor M. Lamarck, who, at the end of each sharp and 

 insulting sentence of the Emperor, tried in vain to say, 

 " It is a work on Natural History which I present to 

 you," was weak enough to fall into tears. 



The Emperor immediately afterwards met with a more 

 energetic antagonist in the person of M. Lanjuinais. The 

 latter had advanced, book in hand. Napoleon said to 

 him, sneeringly : 



