Lagrange's Memoirs. 99 



replied in a manner worthy of the confidence with which he was hon- 

 ored. His first care was to seek a bookseller who would risk the un- 

 dertaking; and, what we can now scarcely believe, he could find none. 

 The newer his methods, the more sublime his theory, the less were 

 they likely to meet readers able to appreciate them, and without de- 

 tracting fi:om the merit of the work, the booksellers were excusable 

 for distrusting a market found limited to a small number of geome- 

 ters spread over the face of Europe. Desaint, the boldest of all those 

 who were applied to, consented to risk an edition only under a 

 formal engagement, signed by Marie, to take on his own account, 

 the remnant of the edition, if at the end of a fixed time, it was not 

 entirely exhausted. To this first service, Marie added another, of 

 which M. Lagrange was at last also sensible. He procured for him 

 an editor worthy of presiding over the impression of such a work. 

 M. Legendre devoted himself entirely to this painful revision, and 

 found himself repaid for it by the sentiments of veneration with 

 which he was penetrated for the author, and by the thanks that he 

 received therefor, in a letter which I have had in my hands, and 

 which Lagrange had filled with expressions of his esteem and 

 gratitude. 



The book had not appeared when the author established himself 

 in Paris. Many causes fixed him there. We must not believe, 

 however, all those that have been alledged. 



The death of Frederick had introduced great changes into Prus- 

 sia, and might cause still greater to be feared. Les savans n'y trou- 

 vaient plus la meme consideration; it was, therefore, very naturally 

 that M. Lagrange felt anew that desire that had formerly led him 

 to Paris. These causes, with the publication of his Mecanigue, were 

 quite sufficient. It is unnecessary to add to them those stated in many 

 pamphlets published in Germany, and particularly by the secret his- 

 torian of the court of Berlin. Never, during an abode of twenty 

 five years in France, have we heard M. Lagrange utter the least 

 complaint against the minister accused of having irrevocably dis- 

 pleased him, par des mepris et des degouts, que par respect pour 

 lui-meme il lui etait impossible de dissimuler. We may suspect that 

 Lagrange had sufficient generosity to forget or to pardon wrongs for 

 which he had taken the only vengeance worthy of him, that of quit- 

 ting a country where his merit had been forgotten. But when inter- 

 rogated directly on this subject, by a member of the Institute, (M. 

 Burckhardt,) he gave only negative answers. These indicated no 



