33 
usually violent outburst, an illustrious hearer, said to be Baron 
Humboldt, thought it his duty to interfere, and request the master 
to have a little more patience with his assistant. The request was 
granted, and all went smoothly during the remainder of the lecture. 
For two days sunshine continued. On the third day M. Thenard, on 
entering the room, perceived a portion of the apparatus in a condi- 
tion which foretold the failure of the experiment. Placing himself 
right in front of the benevolent stranger, and looking him full in the 
face, with his finger pointing to the unhappy apparatus, he cried 
out in the theatrical voice which he inherited from the tragedian 
Talma, “ Friend, I promised to restrain my anger, and I have faith- 
fully kept my word ; give me back my promise, or you will see me 
expire before your eyes.” The stranger had no alternative but to 
bow assent. You may imagine what followed — I will not attempt to 
describe the scene. 
Fteport says that the assistant was sometimes a match for the 
professor. On one occasion M. Thenard ironically commiserated 
him in these words, “ Poor fellow, you will never do any good.” 
To which the other replied, u Sir, you compliment me ; it is the very 
same thing Fourcroy predicted of yourself when you were his as- 
sistant.” 
Beneath that rough exterior, and that fiery temper, there lay an 
honest conscience and a warm heart. Again and again did his 
assistants tender their resignation, but it was never accepted ; and 
public exhibitions of anger were followed by private acts of kindness. 
When in 1832, M. Thenard lay ill of a fever, his two assistants, 
M. Le Canu and M. Clement Desormes, undertook the duty of sitting 
up alternately by his bedside. One night the latter was so ill of a 
cough that the patient forgot his fever, in his anxiety to watch over 
his nurse. 
M. Thenard died full of years, and rich in honours and titles. 
2. Baron Cauchy . — At the suggestion of Professor Forbes, I had 
drawn up a brief notice of the life of our mutual friend M. Cauchy, 
when the biographical letter of M. Biot fell into my hands. This 
letter has enabled me to add certain details which I had previously 
been unable to supply, and to which the present sketch owes its 
chief interest. As however M. Biot’s statements, in one or two 
VOL. IV. e 
