singular concourse of circumstances had initiated the public into all the details of his private 
life. They interested themselves almost as much in what they called his credulity, his 
eccentricities, his absence of mind, and his very frequent alternations of wonderful activity and 
profound apathy, to which he was subject, as in his brilliant discoveries. Our friend gradually 
became the principal actor in a multitude of fantastic adventures, creations of the imaginations of 
a few idle people. Calumny, always on the watch for such opportunities, began early to exercise its 
detestable role; and thus it is that I would not attain my end were I to neglect to give a faithful 
sketch of the character and habits of Ampère. 
I have just spoken of calumny, but am far from wishing to apply so severe a term to those who do 
not share the estimate I have formed of Ampère’s character. Philopœmin once "paid the fine 
of his deformity," said Plutarch. Ampère also paid the penalty of certain manners and habits 
which it is not my intention to extol. I freely acknowledge that, with the kindest feelings in the 
world, no one could help admitting a want of dignity in his too profound salutations. 
We have passed over times in which a man of letters, a man of science, such as Ampère, had any 
reason to fear that he would be stripped of his office if not orthodox in matters of religion and a 
partisan of the political systems of the day. Perhaps, under such circumstances, our associate 
recalled too vividly his responsibilities as the father of a family; perhaps an ardent imagination 
painted in exaggerated colors the brutal condition to which such a deprivation would reduce him; and 
he thus stooped to measures, such as visits and presentations, which can be legitimately and justly 
condemned. The right of doing so, however, can only be conceded to those who have never been guilty 
of like faults, and which I refuse unhesitatingly to those functionaries, infinitely more numerous, 
whose only advantage over Ampère is that of having discovered the secret of diverting attention. 
Besides, do not believe that the judgments and opinions whose organ I shall be, and which it would 
give me so much pleasure to have prevail here, rest on so unsound a foundation as rumor or the 
chit-chat of society –but on acts misunderstood and susceptible of different interpretations. I 
have formed an estimate and judgment of Ampère’s character from a private correspondence not 
destined to see the light –which, indeed, in strict accordance with the express wish of our 
friend, should have been destroyed. In such documents I could hope to find Ampère’s thoughts free 
from all delusive alloy. It was while reading this precious correspondence I learned more and more 
to love our associate. Are there many men who would thus gain by being stripped of the mask so 
generally worn in public? These reflections have occupied much time, gentlemen. You will pardon me 
if I say it is a mistake to consider them a mere preamble; they are a direct refutation, and by way 
of anticipation, of the objections with which the last portion of this notice is threatened, even 
before being given to the public.