persuasive
eloquence, styled a _patriot in music_; who was so often thrown into
prison by the decemvirs; who, at the very height of the Reign of Terror,
offered before the Revolutionary Tribunal the assistance of his
admirable talents to the mother of Marshal Davoust, accused of the crime
of having at that unrelenting epoch sent some money to the emigrants;
who had the incredible boldness to shut up at the inn of Tonnerre an
agent of the Committee of Public Safety, into the secret of whose
mission he penetrated, and thus obtained time to warn an honourable
citizen that he was about to be arrested; who, finally, attaching
himself personally to the sanguinary proconsul before whom every one
trembled in Yonne, made him pass for a madman, and obtained his recall!
You see, Gentlemen, some of the acts of patriotism, of devotion, and of
humanity which signalized the early years of Fourier. They were, you
have seen, repaid with ingratitude. But ought we in reality to be
astonished at it? To expect gratitude from the man who cannot make an
avowal of his feelings without danger, would be to shut one's eyes to
the frailty of human nature, and to expose one's self to frequent
disappointments.

In the Normal School of the Convention, discussion from time to time
succeeded ordinary lectures. On those days an interchange of characters
was effected; the pupils interrogated the professors. Some words
pronounced by Fourier at one of those curious and useful meetings
sufficed to attract attention towards him. Accordingly, as soon as a
necessity was felt to create Masters of Conference, all eyes were turned
towards the pupil of St. Florentine. The precision, the clearness, and
the elegance of his lectures soon procured for him the unanimous
applause of the fastidious and numerous audience which was confided to
him.

When he attained the height of his scientific and literary glory,
Fourier used to look back with pleasure upon the year 1794, and upon the
sublime efforts which the French nation then made for the purpose of
organizing a Corps of Public Instruction. If he had ventured, the title
of Pupil of the original Normal School would have been beyond doubt that
which he would have assumed by way of preference. Gentlemen, that school
perished of cold, of wretchedness, and of hunger, and not, whatever
people may say, from certain defects of organization which time and
reflection would have easily rectified. Notwithstanding its short
exis