ble battle of the Pyramids, when the
Institute of Egypt sprung into existence. It consisted of forty-eight
members, divided into four sections. Monge had the honour of being the
first president. As at Paris, Bonaparte belonged to the section of
Mathematics. The situation of perpetual secretary, the filling up of
which was left to the free choice of the Society, was unanimously
assigned to Fourier.

You have seen the celebrated geometer discharge the same duty at the
Academy of Sciences; you have appreciated his liberality of mind, his
enlightened benevolence, his unvarying affability, his straightforward
and conciliatory disposition: add in imagination to so many rare
qualities the activity which youth, which health can alone give, and you
will have again conjured into existence the Secretary of the Institute
of Egypt; and yet the portrait which I have attempted to draw of him
would grow pale beside the original.

Upon the banks of the Nile, Fourier devoted himself to assiduous
researches on almost every branch of knowledge which the vast plan of
the Institute embraced. The _Decade_ and the _Courier of Egypt_ will
acquaint the reader with the titles of his different labours. I find in
these journals a memoir upon the general solution of algebraic
equations; researches on the methods of elimination; the demonstration
of a new theorem of algebra; a memoir upon the indeterminate analysis;
studies on general mechanics; a technical and historical work upon the
aqueduct which conveys the waters of the Nile to the Castle of Cairo;
reflections upon the Oases; the plan of statistical researches to be
undertaken with respect to the state of Egypt; programme of an intended
exploration of the site of the ancient Memphis, and of the whole extent
of burying-places; a descriptive account of the revolutions and manners
of Egypt, from the time of its conquest by Selim.

I find also in the Egyptian _Decade_, that, on the first complementary
day of the year VI., Fourier communicated to the Institute the
description of a machine designed to promote irrigation, and which was
to be driven by the power of wind.

This work, so far removed from the ordinary current of the ideas of our
colleague, has not been printed. It would very naturally find a place in
a work of which the Expedition to Egypt might again furnish the subject,
notwithstanding the many beautiful publications which it has already
called into existence. It would be a descript