M. LAPLACE.

THIS celebrated geometrician was at the period of his death entering his seventy-ninth year. He was the son of a gardener, and was born at Beaumonten-Auge, near Pont l'Evêque, on the 27th March, 1749. After having for some time studied mathematics in the military school of that town, he went to Paris, where his talents obtained him some powerful patrons. He succeeded Bezont as inspector of the royal artillery corps, became a member of the Academy of Sciences, and subsequently of the In. stitute, and of the Board of Longitude. He filled no public situation before the 18th Brumaire, at which period he was nominated Ministre de l'Intérieur; but he retained this post only six weeks, being then called to the senate. In 1814, he was made a member of the Chambre des Pairs. We abstain from any remarks on his political life, for M. Laplace was not a political character, and he would never have fixed public attention, but from his previous renown. We shall, therefore, consider him only as a philosopher, and shall give a brief summary of those labours which have placed him first in the rank of those of whom France has reason to be proud.

In 1796, appeared the Exposition of the Mundane System, a celebrated work, which, even in a literary point of view, is a masterpiece, for its elegant simplicity of style, and for the clearness with which the author has given the most abstruse demonstrations. Among the number of new and important results which this book contains, we must remark especially the explanation of the courses of Saturn and Jupiter. These two planets, in fact, present so singular an inequality in their motion, that some astronomers have founded upon it an objection to the theory of attraction, while others, in attempting to explain it by that theory, have considered themselves under the necessity of admitting the existence of a celestial body, invisible, yet of vast dimensions, whose influence had the power of causing an irregularity in the motion of the two planets. It is true that since the epoch of this conjecture, Herschel has discovered the planet which bears his name, but the distance of this body renders it incapable of producing such a perturbation; and it was reserved for M. Laplace to shew, by a more rigorous calculation of the mutual effects of the attraction of Jupiter and Saturn, that the remarkable inequality observable in their movements, far from furnishing an

objection to the theory of attraction, presents, on the contrary, a striking confirmation of its truth.

Every body is aware of the precision with which astronomers can now determine the elevation of the tides, for any distant period whatever, and every body is aware, too, that we are indebted to M. Laplace for this admirable acquisition. Newton had demonstrated, it is true, although rather vaguely, that the phenomenon of the tides is the result of the attraction of the moon; but he furnished no means of calculating exactly to what height the tides would rise in every given position of the planets. M. Laplace, by reducing to calculation the influence of the planets on the sea, has rendered the world a service analogous to that of D'Alembert, relative to the calculation of the precession of the equinoxes. In both cases, the question related to a blank left by Newton, which genius alone could supply.

The science of physics is not less indebted than astronomy to M. Laplace; he has, in particular, enriched it with one important truth: we allude to the pains which he has taken to demonstrate, that the particles of bodies affect each other, by means of forces different from those which govern the attraction of large masses,-of forces to which the law of attraction, varying inversely as the squares of the distance, is inapplicable. The human mind has so strong a teudency to generalize ideas-the adoption of a single principle is so favourable to the natural indolence of the mind, that it has ever been the fate of the greatest discoverers to lead to error, by being exaggerated. Thus the followers of Descartes were desirous of explaining every thing by a single principle of action, impact. At a later period, Newton demonstrated that, in addition to that unquestionable force, it was impossible not to allow the exist. ence of another, viz. attraction, the influence of which acts in the inverse ratio of the square of the distance, and from that period this was the only accepted theory. M. Laplace opened a new way, by demonstrating that there are powers which decrease much more rapidly than attraction, and so much so, as to become insensible at any assignable distance. The most evident of these forces is the molecular attraction; and the true theory of capillary attraction, the credit of which is due entirely to M. Laplace, is an application of his ideas upon this subject.

M. Laplace had the the honour, while yet very young, of sharing the labours of

There was, no doubt, some difference of opinion among Dissenters, but he believed it to have been much magnified, and he was desirous of putting the matter to the proof.

Dr. Cox expressed the same feeling on the part of the Baptist Ministers. He believed the laity of his denomination did not go quite so far as the majority of the Ministers, but that this was only the consequence of the want of discussion and information.

Mr. BOWRING, to bring the business to some point, moved the first resolution, being the same as that communicated by the Unitarian Association.

Mr. WILKS proposed, but afterwards withdrew, an amendment, confining the application to the relief of Protestant Dissenters from the operation of the Test and Corporation Acts, instead of seeking the total abolition of the test imposed by them. Mr. BOWRING's resolution was then carried unanimously.

Mr. CHRISTIE, in pursuance of the feeling of his constituents, moved the expediency of a public meeting, for which, after some discussion, the second resolution, proposed by Mr. Wilks, was substituted.

The third resolution was then proposed and agreed to, and the Deputations were appointed as follows:

Resolved, That in the opinion of this Meeting no time should be lost in bringing the subject of the Repeal of the Corporation and Test Acts before Parliament; and that for this purpose every measure should be adopted for securing the support and co-operation of the Members of the Legislature.

Resolved, That to promote such object, and to arrange the best mode in which it may be conducted, it is desirable to obtain an early interview between several distinguished Members of both Houses of Parliament and a Deputation from this Meeting; and that the Chairman be requested to invite and arrange that interview on the earliest convenient day.

Resolved, That the Deputation be composed of the following gentlemen, taken from each Body represented at this Conference; and that as soon as the proposed interview has occurred, another Conference be appointed, at which some practical determination may be adopted; and that, in the mean time, each of the Bodies here represented be recommended to take all the measures they may deem prudent, to prepare those Bodies for active co-operation in the application proposed:

April 6th.

Presbyterian.

Independent.

Baptist.

Presbyterian.

Independent.

Congregation

al Board.

Baptist.

Unitarian Association.

Protestant So. ciety.

The Deputations assembled at Henderson's Hotel, Palace Yard, to confer with Members of Parliament, in pursuance of the above proceedings. Owing to an important political meeting on the same day, several Members were prevented attending. The Deputations met previously to the hour at which the Members of Parliament were expected.

Mr. SMITH, being called to the Chair, entered into an explanation of the reasons which had induced him to direct a postscript to be added to the circular convening the Meeting, the effect of which was to solicit, that " as considerable doubts were entertained on the point of the expediency of proceeding at the present moment, it was recommended that no further steps should be taken before that Meeting, which might tend to preclude a free discussion on that head." He had, on more mature consideration, and consultation with several of their warmest friends, felt great doubts whether any good could result from an agitation of the question at this time. He thought, too, that it was not a proper course to solicit the attendance and advice of the Members of Parliament who were expected, and to come with an announcement to them, that whatever their opinions might be, it was determined to act on our own.

Mr. BoWRING protested against this meeting proceeding to any such discussion. They had already fully considered the question, and had determined to go on, and they were only a delegation, with

A letter was read from the Marquis of LANSDOWNE, expressing his best wishes and desires in the cause of Civil and Religious Liberty.

Mr. FAVELL rose to express his concurrence in opinion with Mr. Bowring, that they were not there to discuss over again what had already been unanimously determined upon. He added his conviction, that it was expedient immediately to prosecute their claims, not so much in the expectation of immediate success, (though this was a very fair one,) as to bring the matter forward, to discuss it over and over again, and, he trusted, finally to prevail.

Mr. WILKS concurred entirely with Mr. Favell and Mr. Bowring as to the object of their meeting. He stated his perfect conviction, that it was absolutely impossible not to prosecute their claims at once. He had received letters from all quarters urgently pressing them to go forward, and it was quite clear that, if they did not choose to press on, others would. They came there to communicate these feelings, and to request the cooperation of their friends in Parliament, Mr. ASPLAND, on the part of the body of Ministers, expressed their earnest desire and determination to prosecute their claims with vigour. When they reflected on the delay which had taken place, they felt shame and sorrow at what they considered as an absolute neglect of duty, and they wished not to lose a day or an hour in endeavouring to make up for lost time. He was glad of the opportunity of disavowing, on their part, any concurrence in those petitions against the Catholics, which had brought unmerited obloquy upon them. That there was Some difference of opinion among such a widely-spread body as the Dissenters, was very likely, and could not be denied; but he spoke in the hearing of his brother ministers, and was confident that it was their wish and desire to seek relief for themselves upon the assertion of the most extended principles of religious liberty. It should be recollected, too, that

though there were some who doubted as to conceding the Catholic Claims, it was not from a refusal to assert the broadest principles (as they thought) of religious liberty, but from a conviction (a mistaken one, of course, he considered it) that the matter in difference with the Catholics was a political one.

Dr. WINTER expressed the same feelings, as did Mr. ORME and Dr. REES. The latter stated, that he had himself been the bearer to Lord Holland and Mr. Smith of petitions from the body of Ministers, praying the repeal of every penal statute restraining religious freedom, and he was quite sure they were still actuated by the same liberal feeling. The Dissenters conceived that the best mode of bringing forward their claims was to petition against the statutes which oppressed them; but they did it on the broad and general ground, leaving it to others to determine to what other bodies, besides their own, those principles would apply.

Mr. YoCKNEY stated the strong conviction of himself and his brethren, that it was become their imperative duty to press forward, and to rest their claims for relief on the only true and broad principle of denying the magistrate's right to interfere with any man on the ground of religious profession. He was anxious for proceeding, not so much from an expectation of immediate success, as to understand their position, If those gentlemen who were so zealous in support of the Catholic cause, deserted the Dissenters, we should then know how to rate the professions of such pretended friends of religious liberty.

Mr. STEVEN concurred with all the other speakers, and was satisfied that they must go forward.

Dr. Cox also was of the same opinion. Lord HOLLAND expressed his gratification at meeting the Deputations, and at learning that they were determined to bring their grievances before Parliament. It was unnecessary to make professions of his opinions. His exertions were at any and every time at their service. It was for them to determine their time, and it was, he considered, the duty of every member of the Legislature to assist when called, at any moment, in redressing a grievance. He should only claim a discretion as to the mode of agitating the question.

Mr. SPRING RICE very eloquently and energetically expressed his gratification at the course now intended to be pursued by the Dissenters. For himself he had never advocated, and never would