Speaking of Leverrier leads to another of my disappointments. I
went to the Sorbonne to hear him lecture, not dreaming that the old
pedantic and theological character of those halls was strictly kept up
in these days of light. An old guardian of the inner temple seeing me
approach, had his speech all ready, and, manning the entrance, said,
with a disdainful air, before we had time to utter a word, "Monsieur
may enter if he pleases, but madame must remain here" (_i.e._, in
the court-yard). After some exclamations of surprise, I found an
alternative in the Hotel de Clugny, where I passed an hour very
delightfully, while waiting for my companion.
I was more fortunate in hearing Arago, and he justified all my
expectations. Clear, rapid, full, and equal, his discourse is worthy
its celebrity, and I felt repaid for the four hours one is obliged to
spend in going, in waiting, and in hearing, for the lecture begins at
half past one, and you must be there before twelve to get a seat, so
constant and animated is his popularity.
I was present on one good occasion, at the Academy,--the day that M.
Remusat was received there, in the place of Royer Collard. I looked
down, from one of the tribunes, upon the flower of the celebrities of
France; that is to say, of the celebrities which are authentic, _comme
il faut_.
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