covered an immense
territory, where formerly the traveller dared not remain more than a few
hours.

One of the predecessors of Fourier, in the situation of perpetual
secretary of the Academy of Sciences, deemed it his duty, on one
occasion, to beg an excuse for having given a detailed account of
certain researches of Leibnitz, which had not required great efforts of
the intellect: "We ought," says he, "to be very much obliged to a man
such as he is, when he condescends, for the public good, to do something
which does not partake of genius!" I cannot conceive the ground of such
scruples; in the present day, the sciences are regarded from too high a
point of view, that we should hesitate in placing in the first rank of
the labours with which they are adorned, those which diffuse comfort,
health, and happiness amidst the working population.

In presence of a part of the Academy of Inscriptions, in an apartment
wherein the name of hieroglyph has so often resounded, I cannot refrain
from alluding to the service which Fourier rendered to science by
retaining Champollion. The young professor of history of the Faculty of
Letters of Grenoble had just attained the twentieth year of his age.
Fate calls him to shoulder the musket. Fourier exempts him by investing
him with the title of pupil of the School of Oriental Languages which he
had borne at Paris. The Minister of War learns that the pupil formerly
gave in his resignation; he denounces the fraud, and dispatches a
peremptory order for his departure, which seems even to exclude all idea
of remonstrance. Fourier, however, is not discouraged; his intercessions
are skilful and of a pressing nature; finally, he draws so animated a
portrait of the precocious talent of _his young friend_, that he
succeeds in wringing from the government an order of special exemption.
It was not easy, Gentlemen, to obtain such success. At the same time, a
conscript, a _member of our Academy_, succeeded in obtaining a
revocation of his order for departure only by declaring that he would
follow on foot, in the costume of the Institute, the contingent of the
arrondissement of Paris in which he was classed.

MATHEMATICAL THEORY OF HEAT.

The administrative duties of the prefect of l'Isere hardly interrupted
the labours of the geometer and the man of letters. It is from Grenoble
that the principal writings of Fourier are dated; it was at Grenoble
that he composed the _Theorie Mathematique de la