You recollect, Gentlemen, with what delight Fourier used to converse on this subject.  You know well that he thought himself sure of having assigned the temperature of space within eight or ten degrees.  By what fatality has it happened that the memoir, wherein no doubt our colleague had recorded all the elements of that important determination, is not to be found?  May that irreparable loss prove at least to so many observers, that instead of pursuing obstinately an ideal perfection, which it is not allotted to man to attain, they will act wisely in placing the public, as soon as possible, in the confidence of their labours.

I should have yet a long course to pursue, if, after having pointed out some of those problems of which the condition of science enabled our learned colleague to give numerical solutions, I were to analyze all those which, still enveloped in general formulae, await merely the data of experience to assume a place among the most curious acquisitions of modern physics.  Time, which is not at my disposal, precludes me from dwelling upon such developments.  I should be guilty, however, of an unpardonable omission, if I did not state that, among the formulas of Fourier, there is one which serves to assign the value of the secular cooling of the earth, and in which there is involved the number of centuries which have elapsed since the origin of this cooling.  The question of the antiquity of the earth, including even the period of incandescence, which has been so keenly discussed, is thus reduced to a thermometric determination.  Unfortunately this point of theory is subject to serious difficulties.  Besides, the thermometric determination, in consequence of its excessive smallness, must be reserved for future ages.

RETURN OF NAPOLEON FROM ELBA.—­FOURIER PREFECT OF THE RHONE.—­HIS NOMINATION TO THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD OF STATISTICS OF THE SEINE.

I have just exhibited to you the scientific fruits of the leisure hours of the Prefect of l’Isere.  Fourier still occupied this situation when Napoleon arrived at Cannes.  His conduct during this grave conjuncture has been the object of a hundred false rumours.  I shall then discharge a duty by establishing the facts in all their truth, according to what I have heard from our colleague’s own mouth.

Upon the news of the Emperor having disembarked, the principal authorities of Grenoble assembled at the residence of the Prefect.  There each individual explained ably, but especially, said Fourier, with much detail, the difficulties which he perceived.  As regards the means of vanquishing them, the authorities seemed to be much less inventive.  Confidence in administrative eloquence was not yet worn out at that epoch; it was resolved accordingly to have recourse to proclamations.  The commanding officer and the Prefect presented each a project.  The assembly was discussing minutely the terms of them, when an officer of the gendarmes, an old soldier of the Imperial