Notes on the Life of Arago. 53 



proofs of his Biographical Notice of Monge ; he terminated 

 his Notice on Planets, &c. ; he discussed with perfect luci- 

 dity ; he made profound remarks, &c. The pain of his malady 

 affected him a good deal less ; every week there was a vio- 

 lent conflict between his conscience — delicate to excess — and 

 his physical weakness, the energetic refusals of physicians, 

 and the pressing solicitations of his family ; more than once 

 it was impossible to restrain him, and he was seen almost 

 dying endeavouring to examine a voluminous correspondence, 

 as if he wished to yield the last sigh at the post of duty. 



The funeral of M. Arago took place with much pomp. The 

 remains of the deceased were transferred to a chapelle ar- 

 dente, under the principal gate of the Observatoire, where 

 his friends were permitted to sprinkle holy water over them. 

 In the meantime a brigade of infantry, under the command of 

 General Renault, drew up at both sides of the avenue of the 

 Luxembourg, where they were shortly joined by 200 men 

 of the 18th battalion of the National Guard. The rain, which 

 had set in early in the morning, fell without ceasing, which, 

 however, did not prevent thousands from assembling on the 

 avenue and in the streets through which the cortege was to 

 pass. At noon the procession began to move. It w T as opened 

 by two companies of the 6th regiment of infantry, the band 

 playing a solemn dirge ; next rode the General, accompanied 

 by his staff, and an escort of horse chasseurs, attired in their 

 new uniform, green and black, with woollen bonnets, which 

 gave them the appearance of Cossacks. Then came two 

 other companies of infantry, the detachment of National 

 Guards, two mourning coaches, containing the clergy of St 

 Jacques du Haut Pas, a modest hearse drawn by two horses, 

 and followed by M. Emmanuel Arago, the son of the de- 

 ceased, other members of his family, his numerous friends, 

 the members of the Academie des Sciences, of which M. Arago 

 was perpetual secretary, and a crowd of his political adhe- 

 rents, among whom were M. Garnier Pages, his colleague of 

 the Provisional Government in 1848 ; M. Pagnerre, one of 

 its secretaries ; M. Bastide, Minister of Foreign Affairs in 

 the Executive Government under General Cavaignac ; M. 



