52 



the spendid pluck which he evinces alike in attacking a scientific 

 difficulty, or in plunging into the intricacies of a French sen- 

 tence, carries all before him. He told me he had never addressed 

 an audience in French before, but he is evidently thoroughly at 

 home in French scientific terminology; and his clear ringing 

 voice was of great advantage : n the Congress Room, which, 

 having a lofty canvas roof, and draped walls, was very stifling 

 to sound. 



Next to him was Professor Helmholtz, who has likewise a 

 masterly acquaintance with every branch of Physics. 



Among the Frenchmen M. Mascart appears to be the leading 

 spirit. He is an energetic man of business, a ready and lively 

 speaker, with a particularly clear articulation, and has done 

 some good work in inventing and simplifying apparatus for the 

 observation of atmospheric electricity. He is young enough to 

 have a long future before him, and he has taken the leading 

 part in putting his countrymen en rapport with the progress of 

 electrical science in England. He is Regnault's successor at the 

 College de France. 



M. Cornu, of the Ecole Polytechnique, is another rising man. 



The venerable M. Dumas, one of the two perpetual secretaries 

 of the Academy of Sciences, made a very popular President in 

 the first Section of the Congress as well as in the first Group of 

 the Jury. 



M. Cochery, who was Minister of Posts and Telegraphs in 

 two Cabinets, and now retains the same office in a third, is an 

 able administrator, and took us rapidly through our business in 

 his discharge of the duties of President of the Plenary meetings. 

 I seem still to hear his cheery voice putting questions to the 

 vote, in the words, " Ceux qui sont de cet avis veuillent bien 

 lever les mains." 



I had once the honour of dining at his official residence with 

 a party of eighty, and he also favoured me on one occasion with 

 a ticket admitting six to the Ministerial box at one of the 

 theatres. 



I met numerous old friends with whom I had much pleasing 

 intercourse, and made several new friends both among my own 

 nation and foreigners. 





