band, for superstition is ever on the watch The ship had in its cargo two real lions, and ready to seize her prey." which the Dey had sent as a present to the Emperor Napoleon, and as one of them had been killed by the Spanish sailors, his threat of reprisals was more energetic and successful than it would otherwise have been.

In the month of April 1807 the work of our astronomers was sufficiently advanced to permit M. Biot to return to Paris to give an account of the results which had already been obtained. The operations which were Anxious to return to his native country, necessary to unite the island of Majorca after so many misfortunes, Arago again emwith Ivaça and Formentara were thus left barked for Marseilles, on the 28th Nov., in the hands of Arago and M. Rodriguez, 1808, but just as the ship was about to enter and they succeeded in obtaining by a single the harbour, a violent hurricane drove it to triangle the measure of a parallel amount- sea, and cast it on the precipitous coast of ing to a degree and a-half. At this time Sardinia, which was then at war with Algiers. the rumours of the war which broke out Being thus prevented from landing, the vesbetween France and Spain began to create sel, in a shattered condition, made for the a suspicion in the minds of the inhabitants coast of Africa, and on the 5th December of Majorca, that the fires which blazed at reached Bougia, about three days' journey the signal stations on Mount Galatzo were from Algiers. Assuming the dress of a telegraphic messages sent to the invading Bedouin Arab, and protected by a Maraarmy, and that the instruments, and all the bout, Arago arrived in Algiers on the 25th proceedings of the astronomers, boded mis- December, but, unfortunately for our pilchief to their country. Arago was therefore grim philosopher, a revolution had taken denounced as a spy, and his life was saved only from his having been arrested by the authorities. He was imprisoned on the 2d June in the citadel of Belver, but as he was scarcely safe under the protection of its ramparts, behind which he continued to work, he resolved to make his escape, and having embarked for Algiers, with his instruments, on the 28th July, he succeeded in reaching it, after a favourable passage, on the 3d August. After a residence of ten days in that city he embarked for Marseilles in an Algerine frigate, procured for him by the French consul, but no sooner had this vessel reached the gulf of Lyons, and was in the sight of the coasts of Provence, than it was captured by a Spanish privateer, and carried to Rosas on the 16th of August. In this new position Arago was obliged to as sume the character of a traveling merchant, and by the aid of a thousand devices he was not discovered by those who had known him when in Mount Galatzo, and who had been more and more convinced that he was a political spy. He was at first confined in a wind-mill, but on the 25th September he was imprisoned, along with the Algerine crew, in the Fort of Trinity, from which, after three weeks' confinement, he was trans- Having received no intelligence concernferred, on the 17th October, to the hulks at ing him since the return of Biot, his friends Palamos, where he endured a thousand tor- in France believed that he was dead. His tures, and was almost starved for want of poor mother had even in her hands the food. Indignant at the insult offered to his watch which Arago had been obliged to sell flag by the Spanish privateer, the Dey of at Rosas. She had caused masses to be Algiers demanded and obtained from the said for her favourite son, and, as he himself Spanish Government the liberation of Arago had often with much feeling told his friends, and the whole of the crew; but his activity she caused as many to be said in gratitude on this occasion was not roused by the con- to heaven for having restored her child. sideration that a French philosopher had been taken prisoner in one of his ships.

place in the palace, the Dey who had rescued him from the hulks at Palamos had been behcaded,—and the new Dey threw difficulties in the way of the departure of Arago, whom he believed to be laden with riches. At this time there was a desire for a war with France; and Arago would have been thrown into the slave prison, where opposite the coasts of France so many men and women of all nations have been martyred, had not the Danish Consul taken the philosopher under his protection. Fortunately for our friend, the brutal Dey was hung, and Arago again quitted Algiers on the 21st June, 1809, after a detention of more than six months. On the 1st of July, when the vessel in which he had embarked was in sight of Marseilles, it narrowly escaped from an English cruiser which had given it chase; and with all his instruments, and manuscripts, and plans, saved from so many disasters, Arago entered the Lazaretto of Marseilles on the 2d July, thus gloriously terminating a career of labour, misfortune, and suffering, which, in the cause of science he had endured for nearly three years, and to which few philosophers have ever been exposed.

Afflicting as had been his misfortunes to himself and his family, they were but the

prelude to a glorious career. The first for prolonging the meridian of France to the letter which he received in the Lazaretto of island of Formentara. Thus might Arago, at Marseilles, was from the illustrious Hum-the age of twenty-three, have rested himself, boldt, who knew him only by his misfor- that he had not paid his tribute to science; without any person having the right to say tunes, and from that hour there commenced but he did not sleep in the academician's between these distinguished men, a friend- chair." ship which, to use the words of Arago, "continued during forty-four years without Leaving to a future part of our article an a cloud to disturb it," a sentiment recipro- account of the leading scientific discoveries cated with equal warmth by his friend. On of Arago, we shall now follow him in his his arrival in Paris, where his scientific la- more public career as a professor in the Pobours had been appreciated, and his suffer- lytechnic School, a Director of the Observ ings deplored, he was specially honoured atory, a Member of the Board of Longitude, with the patronage of Laplace, Legendre, Perpetual Secretary for the Mathematical and Monge; and such was the estimation Sciences to the Institute, Minister of War in which he was held by the philosophers in and Marine in the Provisional Government Paris, that at the age of twenty-three, when of 1848, President of the Executive named a vacancy took place in the section of astro- by the Constituent Assembly, and when nomy in the Academy of Sciences, by the called upon as Director of the Observatory death of Lalande, he was elected on the 17th to take the oath of allegiance to the governSeptember 1809, by forty-seven out of ment of the Emperor.

fifty-two votes. In asking the question, how Although Arago, when a pupil at the Poit happened that the extreme youth of M. lytechnic School, had fearlessly given his Arago did not prevent him from being ad- suffrage against the assumption of the Immitted into so illustrious a body, when an perial Crown by Bonaparte, and was first on election is often the recompense for a long the list to record his negative, yet that great life wholly devoted to the science, M. Bar- man, who knew the value of an honourable ral has no hesitation in replying, that at the action and occasionally overlooked it even time of his election, he had done more than when directed against himself, never resentmany of the academicians at a more advanced ed this act of juvenile hostility; but, recolage; and that the academy was not only lecting the courage of the scholar in exercisencouraged by the high promise of his talents ing a right which he himself would in simiwhich was magnificently fulfilled, but that lar circumstances have exercised, appointed they actually rewarded him for the work him one of the professors of the Polytechnic which he had done. School soon after his admission to the Academy; and about the same time he named "He had, indeed, says M. Barral, executed in him one of the astronomers of the Imperial concert with M. Biot, a very laborious and very Observatory, in which he resided till his

delicate work, on the determination of the co

efficient of the Tables of Atmospheric Refrac- death. He was also appointed to the situtions, so useful in the correction of Astronomi-ation of examiner of the sub-lieutenants of cal Observations. He had measured the refrac- engineers and artillery, who had finished tive powers of different gases, that is to say, their education at the school of application the action which they exercise in causing the established at Metz. His popularity in these rays of light to deviate from their path, an in-situations was very great. From the extent quiry which had not previously been attempted. and variety of his acquirements, Arago was He had determined the ratio of the weight of

air to that of Mercury, and obtained a direct able to give successively five different courses value of the co-efficient of the formula, by which of lectures. Ever anxious as every great the heights of mountains are computed by sim- man must be who has been permitted to ple barometrical observations. By placing a make grand discoveries, to assist those who prism before the object glass of the telescope, seem destined for the same high position, he attached to the mural quadrant of the observa- delighted in patronizing youthful genius, and tory, he had done much on the subject of the well merited the affection of his pupils. He velocity of light, and proved that the same tables of refraction would serve for the light conever failed to defend the Polytechnic ming from the sun, and for that coming from School against the attacks of its enemies; the stars. This was the first step to a truth and on a very late occasion, in the last work now well demonstrated, that the sun is but a which issued from his pen, he resisted the star among the innumerable stars which peo- introduction of certain changes which he ple the firmament. He had, along with M. Bou- thought not only unnecessary, but calculated vard, made numerous observations relative to to injure the character of an institution the verification of the laws of libration, and computed tables eminently useful to astronomers. which had been the envy and admiration of And finally, he had completed the most labori- Europe. ous triangulation which had ever been executed,

In 1818 or 1819, he was appointed by the

Board of Longitude to execute, along with among the least intelligent among his hearers. M. Biot, the geodetic operations on the He kept his eye fixed upon him, he addressed coasts of France, England, and Scotland. only him, and by the effect of his eloquence It was on this occasion that M. Biot_mea- and powers of explanation as exhibited on the sured the length of the pendulum at Leith, countenance of his pupil he judged of their and in Unst, one of the Shetland Isles, and influence over the rest of his audience. the results of the operations of the two as- When he remained unconvinced, the orator tronomers in these localities, as well as of tried new illustrations till the light beamed their joint operations in Spain, were pub- from the grateful countenance. Arago had lished in 1821 in an interesting work, which nothing to say to the rest of his audience. does equal honour to its authors and to the The orator and his pupil were the Siamese nation at whose expense the operations were twins united by an intellectual ligament. carried on, and the work given the public.* Next morning, when Arago was breakfastImmediately after the publication of this ing with his family, a visiter was announced. work, namely, in 1822, Arago was appoint- A gentleman entered-his pupil of the preed a member of the Board of Longitude, ceding evening,-who, after expressing his and such was his anxiety to make his talents admiration of the lecture, thanked Arago, useful in every situation which he occupied, for the very particular attention which he that in the Annuaire or Almanac, published had paid him during its delivery. "You annualy by the Board, he contributed every had the appearance," said he, "of giving year from 1824 to 1853† inclusive, valuable the lecture only to me." scientific notices, chiefly on astronomy and After the entrance of the Allies into Paris, meteorology, but often on mechanics and Arago shut himself up in the observatory, civil engineering, and sometimes interesting and refused to see any of the distinguished biographical notices either pronounced at Sovereigns, or other great men who then sothe grave of distinguished individuals, or read in the Academy of Sciences.

journed in the capital. Humboldt had in

vain asked leave to introduce to him the When Arago was appointed one of the King of Prussia. One day Arago had just astronomers of the Observatory, the Board risen from table, and had gone into the bilof Longitude requested him to deliver a liard hall with his friend. The noise of a course of lectures on Astronomy. This carriage was heard at the door, when instantcourse was begun in 1812, and continued till ly entered Humboldt accompanied by a 1845. It was attended by persons of all gentleman, in a cap and travelling dress. ranks, philosophers, politicians, and work-"I am setting out for Berlin," said Hummen, who flocked to listen to the eloquence boldt, "and I could not think of going withof the astronomer. Arago had a peculiar out taking leave of you. Monsieur accomfacility in bringing down even the higher panies me, and I asked him to come in with parts of astronomy to the comprehension of me, that he might not be kept waiting in the ordinary minds, a faculty so rare that some carriage." Arago saluted the stranger, of the most distinguished astronomers have shewed him to a chair, and, without taking failed in making their science intelligible or any further notice of him, entered into a interesting to a public auditory. Arago long and interesting conversation with Humadopted a method which, we believe, had been boldt. At the end of an hour, Humboldt tried before, by one of his predecessors. took leave of Arago, and the stranger saluWhen he began to give his course on astro-ted him and retired with his companion. nomy, he glanced around his audience to look for some dull aspirant for knowledge, with a low forehead, and other indications that he was

*Recueil des Observations Géodésiques, Astronomiques et Physiques, exécutée par ordres du Bureau de Longitude, en Espagne, en France, en Angleterre et ème de la Base du Système Métrique, en 4to avec Fi

en Ecosse, &c. ouvrage faisant, suite au tome troisi

gures, Paris, 1821.

tExcepting the years 1826, 1841, 1842, 1845, 1847, 1848, 1849.

Scarcely had they gone, when Arago said smilingly to his two friends, "This excellent friend of mine, believes undoubtedly that I have not recognised the King of Prussia."

When the conqueror of Waterloo occupied the Elysée, Napoleon had abandoned every hope of power in Europe, and looked to America as a place of refuge which he might reach without difficulty, and where he might reside in freedom. With this view We have heard the celebrated Dr. Brinkley, who ted Monge,-"Idleness," said he, "will be he developed his future plans to the celebraheld the popular lectureship of Andrews, Professor of Astronomy in Dublin, the duties of which were to to me the most cruel of tortures. lecture gratis to the public, say that he often went demned no longer to command armies, I to give his lecture without finding anybody to listen to it. What a picture of the state of education there. see that it is only the sciences which can We think that Cuvier mentions this method as powerfully divert me from mental cares, to having been followed by Fourcroy. learn only what has been done by others

Con

would not answer my purpose. I would In 1816 our author established, along wish in my new career to leave behind me with Gay Lussac, the Annales de Chimie et works and discoveries worthy of myself. I de Physique, a monthly journal of science, wish to have a companion who will initiate which has had a most extensive circulation, me into the sciences. We shall afterwards and which since the death of its distinguishexplore together the new continent from ed editors, has been placed under the charge Canada to Cape Horn, and in this long jour- of MM. Chevreul, Dumas, Pelouz, Boussinney we shall study together all the great gault, and Regnault, all eminent members of phenomena of the physics of the globe, up- the Academy of the Sciences, and well on which the scientific world have not yet known throughout Europe by their discocome to a decision." Transported with en- veries. In the same year M. Arago visited thusiasm, Monge exclaimed, "Your compan- London along with his distinguished friend ion, Sire, is already found. I will accom- M. Gay Lussac. They paid a visit to our pany you." Napoleon thanked his friend illustrious countryman, Dr. Thomas Young, with emotion, and had some difficulty in of which Arago has given the following inmaking him understand that a septuagenari- teresting anecdote:-"Fresnel had about an would hardly be qualified for so difficult this time entered upon his brilliant scientiand fatiguing an enterprise. Under this fic career, by his Memoir on Diffraction. feeling, Monge applied to Arago as a suita- This work, which, in our opinion, contained ble companion to Napoleon, and described a capital experiment irreconcilable with the to his colleague in glowing colours the Newtonian theory of light, became natugrandeur of the transatlantic scheme, and rally the first topic of our conversation with the honour of being associated with so illus- Dr. Young. We were astonished at the trious a personage. The young philosopher number of restrictions which he made upon was to receive a handsome sum in compen- our éloges, and he at last told us that the sation for the loss of his appointments, and experiment, on which we placed such value, a large fund was to be devoted to the pur- had been published since 1807, in his treachase of a complete collection of astronom- tise on Natural Philosophy. This rendered ical, physical, and meteorological instru- our discussion long and minute. Mrs. ments. The negotiation, however, romantic Young was present, without taking any part; as it was, produced no result. The English but as we knew that the fear, really puerile, and Prussian armies were now advancing by forced marches upon the capital, and Arago imagined that the Emperor had committed a great mistake in occupying himself and them with such unseasonable arrangements, in place of remaining at the head of the troops, and rallying them under the walls of Paris for a final effort to save their country. He therefore declared that he could not charge himself with scientific researches in the new world, when France might perhaps lose its independence and disappear from the map of Europe. Monge was confounded at the refusal of his young friend. He counted it almost a proof of mental aberration, and again urged Arago to agree to the proposal. The events of the war, however, extinguished all such projects, and on board the Northumberland a less pleasing voyage became the destiny of Napoleon. This was not the only refusal of Arago to quit his country. During the restoration, he was in. vited by the Emperor Alexander to Russia to take the direction of the sciences in his empire; but even the hostility of the Government could not induce him to abandon France, and he replied to the offer of the Czar that as long as he had an inch of ground upon which to plant the foot of his telescope, he owed to his country the results of his labours.

of passing for learned women, and at the dread of receiving the name of blue stockings, made English ladies very reserved in the presence of strangers, our want of tact did not strike us till the moment Mrs. Young quickly left the room. We began to make excuses to her husband, when she appeared with an enormous quarto volume under her arm. This was the first volume of the treatise on Natural Philosophy. She placed it on the table, opened it without saying a word at page 787, and pointed to a figure where the curvilineal path of the diffracted fringe on which the discussion turned was theoretically established."*

Although during the Restoration Arago took no very prominent part in the politics of the day, he yet exercised the privileges of a citizen, and maintained those liberal opinions which men of patriotic minds and ardent temperaments never fail to cherish. It was, however, not till the Revolution of 1830, when the elder branch of the Bourbons was expelled from France, that he was called from the peaceful pursuits of science into the arena of political strife, and rendered a real service to his country by the active part which he took in the Chamber of De

*Eloge de Dr. Thomas Young.-Memoires de L'Institut

puties and in the Municipal Council of Paris, he had predicted the time when the hot in favour not only of political ameliorations, water would spring, and it accordingly ap but of measures advantageous to science and peared to the discomfiture of his critics, and to the useful arts. He was elected a mem- to the satisfaction of the people who could ber of the Chamber of Deputies for the wash their linen in water from the bowels Lower Seine, and attached himself to the of the earth. The terrified savans did not party of the extreme left, of which Lafitte know when it would stop, and declared that and Dupont de L'Eure were the head. the Seine would engulf itself in the wells Though as a speaker he was fluent and elo- of Grenelle.

quent, he seldom spoke but on subjects His speech in 1840, on the necessity of which he had well studied, and upon which his extending the electoral suffrage, produced a opinions were likely to guide an intelligent strong sensation not only in the Chamber, Chamber. but among the people, and in the same

It was on his report, for example, that a year he was elected "Member of the Counnational recompense was awarded to Da-cil General of the Seine," to the duties of guerre for the invention of Photography on which he devoted himself with assiduity. metal, an art however in which M. Niepce From his noble figure which was. tall and had made some considerable steps, and for handsome, and his fine intellectual expreswhom Arago procured a part of the reward. sion, Arago was regarded as a powerful It was through him also that M. Vicat ob- speaker, to whom the Chamber was always tained a national grant as the inventor of disposed to listen. The following account valuable artificial hydraulic cements.* He of his oratorical powers by M. Cormenin, induced also the Chamber, to vote a grant published in 1843, is too graphic to be withfor printing the works of Laplace and those held from our readers.

of Fermat. He drew up the report recom- "Whenever Arago ascends the tribune, mending the acquisition by the State of the the Chamber, attentive and anxious, beinteresting Museum of Cluny, one of the comes still and listens eagerly. The specmost popular sights in Paris. He took a tators hang over the galleries to see him. part also in all questions connected with His stature is lofty, his hair is naturally public education and civil engineering,-in curled and flowing, and his fine southern the schemes for rendering the Seine navi- head rises over the Assembly. In the musgable to Paris,-in railroads, electric tele- cular contraction of his temples there is a graphs, and the construction of the grand power of will and of thought which reveals lines of fortification which now protect the a noble spirit. Unlike those speakers who captital. address the House on every occasion, and

One of the most interesting works, how-who, nine times out of ten, are ignorant of ever, which he about this time carried on what they talk about, Arago does not speak was the boaring of the Artesian wells at except on questions already prepared, and Grenelle, which now supply a part of Paris which combine the interests of the subject with hot water heated in the bowels of the with the attractions of science. His speeches earth, and by its hidden fires. His friend are therefore quite specific as well as geneHumboldt and others had shown that the ral, and appeal at once to the reason and temperature of the earth increased as we the passions of his auditors. In this mandescend; and independent of the existence ner he soon comes to master them. The of hot springs which discharge themselves very moment he enters on his subject he at the earth's surface in various parts of concentrates on himself the eyes and the our globe, there was reason to think that attention of all. He takes science, as it were, a well sunk any where to a sufficient depth between his hands; he strips it of its asperiwould meet with springs of a high tempera- ties and its technical forms, and he renders ture. Arago obtained from the Govern- it so clear, that the most ignorant are ment successive grants for sinking one of astonished, as they are charmed, at the ease these wells. The work advanced, but no- with which they understaud its mysteries. body thought it would succeed. Mining There is something perfectly lucid in his deengineers, geologists, and those who had no monstrations. His manner is so expressive right to give an opinion at all, denounced that light seems to issue from his eyes, from the folly of the philosopher and of the his lips, from his very fingers. He interGovernment. Arago waited for the result; weaves in his discourses the most caustic appeals to ministers-appeals which defy * A notice on this subject entitled, Sur les Chaux, which seem to belong naturally to the suball answers; the most piquant anecdotes Mortiers, et les cements Hydrauliques, sur les Pouzzolanes naturelles et artificielles is given in the Annuaire ject, and which adorn without overloading it. When he confines himself to the nar

for 1846.