10 Historical Eulogy on the Marquis De Laplace. 



History will unite the names of Berthollet and of Chaptal to that 

 of Laplace. Their undertakings have always had for their object 

 and for their result the enlargement of sciences the most important 

 and the most difficult to acquire. 



The gardens of Berthollet, at his mansion of Arcueil,* were not 

 separated from those of Laplace. Sad remembrances, deep regrets 

 have rendered illustrious this enclosure. It was there that Laplace re- 

 ceived celebrated strangers and men of wealth, from whom science 

 had derived or expected some benefactions ; but above all, those whom 

 a pious zeal attached to the sanctuary of sciences. Some com- 

 menced their career, others were soon to finish it. He entertained 

 them all with an extreme politesse. He even carried it so far, as to 

 have inspired the belief with those who knew not the whole extent of his 

 genius, that he could himself reap some fruit from their undertakings. 



In citing the mathematical works of Laplace, we ought especially 

 to make some remarks upon the depth of his researches and the im- 

 portance of his discoveries. His works are distinguished still by 

 another character, that all readers have appreciated. I wish to speak 

 of the literary merit of his compositions. That which bears the 

 title of Systeme du monde is remarkable for the elegant simplicity of 

 style, and the purity of language. There was stiH no example 

 of this kind of productions ; but we should form of it a very incor- 

 rect idea, were we to think we should be able to acquire the knowl- 

 edge of the phenomena of the heavens in such writings. The sup- 

 pression of signs appropriate to the language of calculation, cannot 

 contribute to its clearness, or render the reading more easy. The 

 work is a perfectly regular exposition of the results of a study the 

 most profound — it is an ingenious summary of the principal discov- 

 eries. The precision of style, the choice of methods, the grandeur 

 of the subject, give a remarkable interest to this vast tablet ; but its 

 real use is to recall to geometers, theorems, the demonstration of 

 which was already known to them. It is, to speak correctly, a table 

 of the contents of a mathematical treatise. 



The purely historical works of Laplace have another object. 



He therein presents to geometers, with a wonderful ability, the 

 march of the human mind in the discovery of the sciences. 



"* Arcueil. — So called from the arches or arcades of the aqueduct which the Ro- 

 mans there built : part of the aqueduct is now standing. The remainder was rebuilt 

 and finished, in order, as is believed, to carry water to the palace of Luxembourg. 

 Louis Xm laid the first stone on the 17th of July, 1613. It was finished 1624. 



" L'aquedue d\lrcueil font nit aux fbntains de Paris cinquant sept jiouces- 

 cubes d'eau." \ 



