1802. JET. 49.] COUNT RUMFORD. 79 



my days in peace and quietness. But the established order 

 of things cannot be changed, and I must endeavour to sup- 

 port with patience and dignity all those evils which cannot 

 be avoided. 



I continue to pass my time here in Paris very agreeably. 

 The society in which I live most is very pleasant, and I am 

 surrounded by a great variety of interesting objects of 

 curiosity. I have very often the satisfaction of hearing 

 your name mentioned, and always in terms of the highest 

 possible respect. No individual was ever in more complete 

 possession of the enlightened world than yourself. It is in- 

 deed true that no man ever deserved it more. 



An extraordinary meeting of the first class of the Insti- 

 tute was held on Saturday last for the purpose of deciding 

 a dispute which had arisen among the Ingenieurs des Fonts 

 et Chaussees relative to an intended canal from Cambray to 

 St. Quentin, to form a communication by water between the 

 Belgique and the interior of France. Two plans had been 

 proposed, one by a M. Laurent and the other by M. Vicque. 



Laurent proposed to form the junction by one straight 

 subterranean canal about six French leagues in length ; 

 Vicque proposed to avail himself of a valley, in order to 

 diminish the length of the subterranean passage to about 

 three leagues. The latter was almost unanimously approved 

 by the Institute, though the total length of the canal of 

 Vicque is more than a third greater than that of Laurent, 

 and though it has two subterranean passages instead of one. 

 The First Consul was present at the discussion of this ques- 

 tion by the Institute, and took a very active part in the 

 debate. He displayed very uncommon abilities. He is in- 

 deed a very extraordinary man. He hears with patience 

 and with the utmost attention every argument opposed to 

 his own opinions, and he states the question in dispute in 

 so clear a light, and divests it so completely from every 

 consideration that is not essential, that every difficulty seems 

 to be removed and the decision rendered quite plain and 

 obvious. 



