In the year 1809, I was chosen by the “conseil du perfectionnement” of the Polytechnic School, to succeed M. Monge, in his chair of Analysis applied to Geometry.  The circumstances attending that nomination have remained a secret; I seize the first opportunity which offers itself to me to make them known.

M. Monge took the trouble to come to me one day, at the Observatory, to ask me to succeed him.  I declined this honour, because of a proposed journey which I was going to make into Central Asia with M. de Humboldt.  “You will certainly not set off for some months to come,” said the illustrious geometer; “you could, therefore, take my place temporarily.”  “Your proposal,” I replied, “flatters me infinitely; but I do not know whether I ought to accept it.  I have never read your great work on partial differential equations; I do not, therefore, feel certain that I should be competent to give lessons to the pupils of the Polytechnic School on such a difficult theory.”  “Try,” said he, “and you will find that that theory is clearer than it is generally supposed to be.”  Accordingly, I did try; and M. Monge’s opinion appeared to me to be well founded.

The public could not comprehend, at that time, how it was that the benevolent M. Monge obstinately refused to confide the delivery of his course to M. Binet, (a private teacher under him,) whose zeal was well known.  It is this motive which I am going to reveal.

There was then in the “Bois de Boulogne” a residence named the Grey House, where there assembled round M. Coessin, the high-priest of a new religion, a number of adepts, such as Lesueur, the musician, Colin, private teacher of chemistry at the school, M. Binet, &c.  A report from the prefect of police had signified to the Emperor that the frequenters of the Grey House were connected with the Society of Jesuits.  The Emperor was uneasy and irritated at this.  “Well,” said he to M. Monge, “there are your dear pupils become disciples of Loyola!” And on Monge’s denial, “You deny it,” answered the Emperor; “well, then, know that the private teacher of your course is in that clique.”  Every one can understand that after such a remark, Monge could not consent to being succeeded by M. Binet.

Having entered the academy, young, ardent, and impassioned, I took much greater part in the nominations than may have been suitable for my position and my time of life.  Arrived at an epoch of life whence I examine retrospectively all my actions with calmness and impartiality, I can render this amount of justice to myself, that, excepting in three or four instances, my vote and interest were always in favour of the most deserving candidate, and more than once I succeeded in preventing the Academy from making a deplorable choice.  Who could blame me for having maintained with energy the election of Malus, considering that his competitor, M. Girard, unknown as a physicist, obtained twenty-two votes out of fifty-three, and that an addition of