276 FRESNEL. 



which they might claim as a sacred debt, as soon as 

 their dignity would become compromised. 



I have ah-eady mentioned how much the duties of 

 examiner at the Ecole Polytechnique endangered the 

 health of Fresnel ; how desirable it became that his wish 

 for a less laborious situation should be attained. The 

 incontestable superiority of his scientific claims, the with- 

 drawal of all competitors, the behaviour of one of our 

 honourable colleagues, one of the first geometers of the 

 age ; and lastly, the active conduct of M. Becquey, 

 who, on every occasion, treated Fresnel with the kind- 

 ness of a father, had smoothed over many obstacles. 

 The minister on whose decision the appointment de- 

 pended had himself, during his youth, been occupied 

 with the study of the sciences in a distinguished degi-ee ; 

 he had even kept up the taste for them ; he desired to 

 see our colleague, and from that moment his nomination 

 seemed sure ; for the reserved manner of Fresnel, the 

 sweetness of his character, the unaffected modesty of his 

 language, conciliated instantly the goodwill even of those 

 who did not understand his works ; but, alas, in the train 

 of civil discords, to how many mistakes are we not ex- 

 posed, if we proceed to judge of that which will be from 

 that which ought to be. How many little circumstances, 

 paltry interests, heterogeneous elements, come in and 

 mix themselves with affairs the most simple, and prevail 

 over rights the most incontestable. For my own part, I 

 cannot say on what occasion the Minister of the Interior, 

 addressing himself to the royalist volunteer of the Drome, 

 put the following question, clearly intimating that his 

 nomination depended on the answer he gave : " Sir, are 

 you truly on our side ? " " If I understand rightly, 

 Monseigneur, I should answer that there exists no one 



