e French language.

A regret has been often expressed, that Caesar, in his immortal
_Commentaries_, should have confined himself to a narration of his own
campaigns: the astronomical commentaries of Laplace ascend to the origin
of communities. The labours undertaken in all ages for the purpose of
extracting new truths from the heavens, are there justly, clearly, and
profoundly analyzed; it is genius presiding as the impartial judge of
genius. Laplace has always remained at the height of his great mission;
his work will be read with respect so long as the torch of science shall
continue to throw any light.

The calculus of probabilities, when confined within just limits, ought
to interest, in an equal degree, the mathematician, the experimentalist,
and the statesman. From the time when Pascal and Fermat established its
first principles, it has rendered and continues daily to render services
of the most eminent kind. It is the calculus of probabilities, which,
after having suggested the best arrangements of the tables of population
and mortality, teaches us to deduce from those numbers, in general so
erroneously interpreted, conclusions of a precise and useful character:
it is the calculus of probabilities which alone can regulate justly the
premiums to be paid for assurances; the reserve funds for the
disbursement of pensions, annuities, discounts, &c.: it is under its
influence that lotteries, and other shameful snares cunningly laid for
avarice and ignorance, have definitively disappeared. Laplace has
treated these questions, and others of a much more complicated nature,
with his accustomed superiority. In short, the _Theorie Analytique des
Probabilites_ is worthy of the author of the _Mecanique Celeste_.

A philosopher, whose name is associated with immortal discoveries, said
to his audience who had allowed themselves to be influenced by ancient
and consecrated authorities, "Bear in mind, Gentlemen, that in questions
of science the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning
of a single individual." Two centuries have passed over these words of
Galileo without depreciating their value, or obliterating their truthful
character. Thus, instead of displaying a long list of illustrious
admirers of the three beautiful works of Laplace, we have preferred
glancing briefly at some of the sublime truths which geometry has there
deposited. Let us not, however, apply this principle in its utmost
rigour, and since