434 JOSEPH FOURIER. 



phatically protesting against this confusion, which the 

 powerful of the earth are constantly endeavouring to 

 establish between the perishable bounties of which they 

 are the dispensers, and the noble fruits of thought. 

 Fourier was Prefect and Baron by the favour of the 

 Emperor ; he was one of the glories of France by his 

 own genius ! 



On the 9th of March, Napoleon, in a moment of 

 anger, ordered Fourier, by a mandate, dated from Gre- 

 noble, to quit the territory of the seventh military division 

 within Jive days, under pain of being arrested and treated 

 as an enemy of the country ! On the following day, our 

 colleague departed from the Conference of Bourgoin, 

 with the appointment of Prefect of the Rhone and the 

 title of Count, for the Emperor after his return from 

 Elba was again at his old practices. 



These unexpected proofs of favour and confidence 

 afforded little pleasure to our colleague, but he dared 

 not refuse them, although he perceived very distinctly 

 the immense gravity of the events in which he was led 

 by the vicissitude of fortune to play a part. 



" What do you think . of my enterprise ? " said the 

 Emperor to him on the day of his departure from Lyons. 

 " Sire," replied Fourier, " I am of opinion that you will 

 fail. Let but a fanatic meet you on your way, and all is 

 at an end." " Bah ! " exclaimed Napoleon, ' the Bour- 

 bons have nobody on their side, not even a fanatic. In 

 connection with this circumstance, you have read in the 

 journals that they have excluded me from the protection 

 of the law. I shall be more indulgent on my part ; I 

 shall content myself with excluding them from the 

 Tuileries." 



Fourier held the appointment of Prefect of the Rhone 



