Lalaiide^ 
459 
isn.] 
some of the reiVning princes of Germany, 
aud almost ex ery anthoror savcmt of note 
in Europe. His works woulcl embrace 
more thari sixty ponderous volumes,* 
and correspond, by their learning and 
utility, to tiie high reputation which he 
enjoyed. It is not therefore much to be 
wondered at, if the circumstances of his 
early life produced that delirium of vani¬ 
ty, if I rnay be allowed tiie expression, 
which marked his character in the last 
Stases of his career. 
In the conversation which I had with 
him, not many months before his death, 
I frequetjtlj saw occasion to admire both 
the brilliancv of his imagination and the 
copiousness of his knowledge; but it was 
inapossible to coniine him, for any length 
of time, to a rationed strain of discourse. 
His mind reverted incessantly to his fa¬ 
vorite theory of atheism, and to his own 
personal merits, upon which he expatiated 
with a complacency tiiat would liave 
been irresistibly ludicrous, if it had hot 
exhibited so melancholy a proof of the 
imbecility of human nature, even when 
most eminently gifted. When he spoke, 
however, of republican institutions and 
of this country, he displayed a liberality 
of sentiment and an ardent attacliment 
to the cause of freedom, wiiich, with me, 
made full amends for liis egotism. His 
^piassion for astronomical studies never de¬ 
serted him. Until the moment of his 
dissolution, he was engaged in deep cal¬ 
culations, and in the most elaborate re¬ 
searches. He was at all times lavish of 
his fortune, in favor of the interests of 
science, and gave to the Institute, in the 
year 1802, a considerable sum in perpe¬ 
tuity, the interest of which, was to be al¬ 
lotted to the person who produced the 
best work on Astronomy, or made the 
niost important discovery in that science, 
in the course of the year, 
I was present at his funeral, which was 
attended by his brethren of the Institute, 
and rendered particularly solemn by the 
discourse pronounced over his grave. 
Dupont de Nemours, now one of the most 
prominent of the literati of Paris, and 
who, as you may recollect, resided at 
New York a few years ago, stepped forth 
from the crowd, with the tears flowing 
rapidly from his eyes, and, in the course 
of a very touching panegyric on the de¬ 
ceased, recited acts of benevolence, 
* The chicf.of these is his History of 
Astronomy,” in four volumes quarto—the 
Lest elementary treatise on that science that 
has ever been publrslred. 
Mag., Dep- ISll, 
which had fallen under Iijs own observa=> 
tion, that would have done honour to a 
Howard, He made one stnkino; observa- 
tion,m which his w hole auditory appeared 
to acquiesce at once ; that Lalande had 
much more religion lhaii lie was con¬ 
scious of possessing.’^ 
Lalande was below the middle size, 
and. exhibited one of the u<i'iest faces 
that I have ever seen. He was, how¬ 
ever, not a little vain of his person, and 
extremely fond of narrating the con¬ 
quests which he had achieved, in ids 
youth, over the hearts of half the prin¬ 
cesses of Europe. The egotism which 
completely vanquished his judgment in 
his old age, blinded him to the absu.'-dity 
and falsehood of the recital on this head, 
which he never failed to make, even to 
his casual visitors; He fam-ied that he had 
arrived at absolute perfecdon, and pub¬ 
lished at various times a notification to 
the world “ that he possessed all the vir¬ 
tues and good qualities of human nature,’^ 
A wit of Paris very earnestly requested 
him on one of these occasions “ at least 
to deduct criat of modesty.” His man¬ 
ners were exceedingly engaging, and his 
conversation was enlivened by briliiauC 
sallies, and by a singular degree of can¬ 
dour and naivete, Lalande addressed 
delineation of iiirnself to a lady wlio had 
promised to write his life. I cannot re¬ 
sist the temptation of transcribing it for 
you, as jc exhibits an amusing specimen 
of the superlative variify, and, for the 
most part, a very just picture of the cha¬ 
racter, of this extraordinary man. 
“ I am,” says he “ an enemy of show 
and ostentation; my amour propre, {iind 
every one has his share) has but one ob¬ 
ject—-literary glory. My patience and 
temper can withstand any vexations 
arising either from sickness, disappoint- 
meiit, or injustice. 
“ I exercise the most liberal indulgence 
with regard to the faults or follies of 
others. I find every thing good. I can 
bear pleasantry, sarcasm, or even slander, 
but I know how to rally in my turn. I 
dislike the conamon pleasures of the 
world. I cannot endure gambling, shows, 
or feasts. 
“ I never go to' the play: study, and the 
converse of intelligent persons, particu¬ 
larly of well-informed women, are my only 
amusements. Sucii have been for me, in 
legular succession, the meetings of Mcie. 
Georfiin, du Bocage, du Defant, ds 
Bourdic, de Beauharnals, de Salui, &c. 
In frequenting their societies, I always 
go on footj and sometimes take long 
S N walks 5 
