5d Notes on the Life of Arayo. 



tive in gaining for mankind new truths from Nature, — we 

 have also to examine the degree in which such a mind as his 

 was influential, by suggestion and by example, in elevating 

 the spirit of his age. 



The long series of sufferings which brought M. Arago to 

 the grave, at a not very advanced age, commenced by dia- 

 betes, not very intense, but which rapidly exhausted his 

 strength. The diabetes gave way to another malady, which 

 continued slowly the lamentable work of decomposition and 

 destruction, and which was terminated by dropsy in the 

 chest, with suffusion and suffocation, swelling of the extre- 

 mities, &c. Everything announced an early death ; but it 

 was hoped that the efforts of science, and the devoted and 

 tender care of an afflicted family, would prolong his precious 

 existence some days longer. The illustrious patient rose on 

 Sunday, 2d October, afternoon, and dressed himself. He went 

 to bed again at five o'clock, and took a slight repast. Some 

 minutes after, he asked to be raised a little, and to be placed 

 in the middle of his bed ; then all at once he cried, pressing 

 his breast, " I am suffocating ! I am suffocated !" His at- 

 tendants hastened to him, and proceeded to light a lamp the 

 better to ascertain his state ; but before this could be done 

 the death-rattle was heard, and in less than five minutes 

 after Francois Arago was dead. The great man has now 

 drawn his last breath. The stillness of death surrounds him, 

 accompanied with deep silence and pensive sorrow, sweetly 

 mingled with the full assurance of hope. The close of such 

 a. life is full of solemn and soul-subduing tenderness. The 

 living soul has gone — it has gone to the sweets of eternity — j 

 the eternal home of his God and his Saviour. His death is 

 an act of his Maker, designed for the good both of the living 

 and dead. 



During all his malady his lofty intelligence was not ob- 

 scured for an instant. Scarcely three weeks ago, he was 

 labouring at a new edition of his celebrated work on Thunder ; 

 he recalled what he had read, dictated precious additions, 

 caused difficult researches to be made, &c. ; and he asked M. 

 Babinet to prepare for him a table of the best determined 

 numbers of the length of undulations, in order that he might 

 complete an important paper on Light ; he corrected the 





