a6 Correspondence of J. Nickles. 
3. That of the magnetism which is developed when bodies are re- 
volved near a magnet. 
rago was an Encyclopedic genius. Science, Literature, Political 
and Social economy, his vast intelligence embraced all with equal abil- 
ity. His powerful faculty of assimilation, Sree: me of appli- 
cation of principles, Dire im every w where in the firs . Wheth- 
er Orator or Professor, he shone with brillianey wy in  pelitical and 
scientific anstaame: e was distinguished for the perspicuity and 
elegance of his ayes and occupies an eminent place among the prose 
writers of Fran 
In the midst of so much grandeur, Arago led a most modest life. 
He considered as lazy whoever did n ot work fourteen hours a day ; 
and such days were for him days of ca Although so absorbed 
with his occupations, he still found time to sage in the society of Pa- 
ris as one of its most spirited conversationists. 
While devoted to continued labor, he kale forgot his own in-— 
terests, and had only what was barely ne saeee ks for the : support of his 
family. He left two children, one Emanuel Arago, an eloquent orator 
of the bar of Paris and of Republican Bi oe the other Alfred 
Arago, a distinguished painter. If he has not bequeathed to them 
fortune, he has left an immortal name: he has created by his 
renown more illustrious than all the renown ever gained by arms—which 
for a long time enjoyed the privilege of giving fame, but now yields the 
right to the peaceful conquests of science. 
fa) 
Academy of Sciences.—For some weeks past, there has been little 
of raieiear” brought before the eoceny of Sciences. The visits of 
several foreign savants, MM. Ric Owes , Magnus, Rammelsberg, 
Kolliker, etc., have afforded some ote variety. But the new scientific 
communications are few atthe present time. I therefore leave this sub- 
ject to my next letter, when I shall also be able to state who is Per- 
aa maga in place of Arago. 
n the origin of terrestrial magnetism.—The earliest view of 
terrestrial magnetism supposed the existence of a magnet at the earth’s 
s this does not accord with the observations on gett 
brslisaticin and intensity, Tobias Meyer gave this fictitious magnet 
vingiellbe position, placing it one-seventh part of the earth’s radius froth 
the centre. Hansteen imagined that there were two such magnets, dif- 
sieht ‘in position sist intensity. Ampeére set aside these unsatisfactory 
hypotheses by the view, derived from his discovery, that the earth itself 
is an Peviec-lignet, magnetised by an electric current, circulating 
about it from east to west, perpendicularly to the plane of the magnetic 
e same c ive directi i 
east. 
A long time before the discovery of electro- -magnetism, Biot was oc- 
cupied with this subject, and regarded the terrestrial magnetism as the 
principal resultant of all the magnetic particles disseminated in the 
earth. M. Gauss adopts this view, as an interpretation of the fact, 
