168 



MALUS. 



" As we cannot give children the idea of good, we 

 ought to give them the habit of it." 



" Even when we stifle reason, conscience comes as a 

 corps de reserve to oppose a barrier to irregularity." 



" I do not like men who weigh their own good deeds." 



I find also in the papers from which the preceding 

 forms a very short extract, a thought expressed in the 

 following terms : 



" One becomes the slave of any man, if injustice on his 

 part can offend and grieve us." 



This last precept is full of wisdom ; but did the author 

 himself always strictly conform to it ? On questions of 

 scientific priority has he not sometimes, to use his own 

 expression, become the slave of his opponents ? See and 

 judge for yourselves. 



Malus suspected a member of the Institute of Egypt 

 of having wished to invade his rights on the occasion of 

 an analytical calculation being communicated to that 

 learned body. He was so preoccupied with this idea 

 that in a letter addressed to his colleague he omitted to 

 write before his signature, " I am, with consideration, 

 your humble servant." The meaning of this suppres- 

 sion of a customary form of politeness is indicated in 

 positive terms in a letter which I have before me from 

 the officer of engineers to his friend Lancret. 



A great geometer conceived the idea of a means of 

 reconciling the phenomena of double refraction with the 

 principle of " least action," and published on this subject 

 a note which every one may read in our scientific jour- 

 nals. 



Malus was convinced that he had himself first con- 

 ceived the possibility of this investigation, and that he 

 had spoken of it publicly before the publication of that 



