404 JOSEPH FOURIER. 



his instructions, by his counsels, or, if we choose, by his 

 imperative orders, in the composition of the essay of 

 Fourier. What was not long ago nothing more than a 

 plausible conjecture, has now become an incontestable 

 fact. Thanks to the courtesy of M. Champollion-Figeac, 

 I held in my hands, within the last few days, some parts 

 of the first proof sheets of the historical preface. These 

 proofs w T ere sent to the Emperor, who wished to make 

 himself acquainted with them at leisure before reading 

 them with Fourier. They are covered with marginal 

 notes, and the additions which they have occasioned 

 amount to almost a third of the original discourse. Upon 

 these pages, as in the definitive work given to the public, 

 one remarks a complete absence of proper names ; the 

 only exception is in the case of the three Generals-in- 

 Chief. Thus Fourier had imposed upon himself the 

 reserve which certain vanities have blamed so severely. 

 I shall add that nowhere throughout the precious proof 

 sheets of M. Champollion do we perceive traces of the 

 miserable feelings of jealousy which have been attributed 

 to Napoleon. It is true that upon pointing out with his 

 finger the word illustrious applied to Kleber, the Em- 

 peror said to our colleague : " SOME ONE has directed 

 my attention to THIS EPITHET ; " but, after a short 

 pause, he added, " it is desirable that you should leave 

 it, for it is just and well deserved." These words, 

 Gentlemen, honoured the monarch still less than they 

 branded with disgrace the some one whom I regret not 

 being able to designate in more definite terms, one of 

 those vile courtiers whose whole life is occupied in spy- 

 ing out the frailties, the evil passions of their masters, 

 in order to make them subservient in conducting them- 

 selves to honours and fortune ! 



