Historical Eulogy on the Marquis De Laplace. 1 1 



The most abstract theories have, in effect, a beauty of expression 

 which is peculiar to them ; it is what we observe in many treatises of 

 Descartes, in some pages of Galileo, of Newton and of Lagrange. 

 The novelty of views, the elevation of thoughts, their relations with 

 the great objects of nature engage and fill the soul. It is sufficient 

 that the style be pure and of a noble simplicity ; it is this kind of lite- 

 rature that Laplace has chosen ; and it is certain that in this he is 

 placed among the first ranks. If he wrote the history of great astro- 

 nomical discoveries, be became a model of elegance and of precision. 

 No important feature escaped him ; the expression is neither obscure 

 nor aspiring. All that he calls great, is great in reality j all that he 

 omits deserves not to be related. 



M. Laplace retained, to a very advanced age, that wonderful mem- 

 ory which had made him remarkable from his first years : a boon, 

 precious indeed, though not a necessary proof oi genius ; but still 

 enabling him to acquiix and to preserve. He never cultivated the 

 fine arts, but he always appreciated them. He loved the music of 

 Italy, and the verses of Racine, and was often delighted in citing 

 from memory, different passages from this great poet. The composi- 

 tions of Raphael adorned his apartments. We find them at the side 

 of the portraits of Descartes, of Francois Viete, of Newton, of Gali- 

 leo, and of Euler. 



Laplace had always been accustomed to a very light diet; he 

 gradually diminished it to an extremely small quantity. His very 

 delicate sight required continual precautions. He, however, suc- 

 ceeded in preserving it without any change. These cares of him- 

 self never had any object but that of reserving all his time and all 

 his powers for the labors of the soul. He lived for the sciences ; 

 the sciences have rendered his memory eternal. 



He had contracted the habit of an excessive application of mind, 

 so injurious to health, but so necessary to deep studies : and yet he 

 experienced no sensible debility, except in his two last years. 



At the commencement of the disease under which he sunk, wo 

 remarked, with fear, a moment of delirium. The sciences still en- 

 gaged his attention. He spoke with an unusual degree of earnest- 

 ness on the motion of the stars, and then of an experiment in phys- 

 ics that he said was capitale, informing persons whom he thought 

 present, that he would soon go and entertain the Academy with these 

 questions. His strength left him more and more. His physician,* 

 who deserved his entire confidence by superior talents and by atten- 

 tions that friendship only could suggest, watched near his bed. M. 

 Bouvard, his assistant and his friend never quitted him a single instant. 



