The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-12-07
/" Wishing to Know"

Charles Marie La Condamine was men,
Der of the Academic des Sciences, of the
Academic Franchise, of the ROYAL Society
of London, and the Academies of Berlin
and St. Petersburg. His success in life,
in science-everything, in fact-was at
tributable to his never-ceasing curiosity;
at times the cause OF much goo imbuing
him with ardor, and courage, and con-
stancy in the most difficult enterprises: at
others being the cause of sore trouble, and
at last costing him his life. When he left
college he became volunteer in the army,
where, at the siege of Roses, his dominant
passion was almost fatal to him at the out
set. He had assembled some elevated spot,
without there being any need for it, in
order to examine the place, and was busy
watching through a telescope the working
of battery. He wore a scarlet cloak,
which made him an easy target for the
bullets and balls whlstling around him,
without even perceiving the danger he
was exposed to. Fortunately he was
warned in time. Peace having been pro-
claimed, his activeness did not brook the
slow advancement and monotonOus life of
a garrison soldier. He was appointed
Assistant Chemical Director of the Acade-
ME DIES Sciences. He undertook many
Journeys in the heart of Africa, always
prompted by the same interchangeable crav
ing for wishing to know" He made
another journey to the equator; and then he
travelled in Italy, where again he got into
numerous scrapes trying to find out One
day he sees in a fishing village a candle
burning before the image of a saint.
Upon inquiry the inhabitants tell him that
should the light he extinguished the spot
would Immediately be submerged by the
sea. Are you sure of what you are sayingY :"
asks La Condamine. The answer being
in the affirmative, he there and then blows
it out. The rage of the superstitious people
may easily be imagined. With difficulty
he is saved from being torn to pieces. His
curiosity ought to have stopped here one
would say. NaturMa erpottus furca,
tansen slsqus recu1ret. Attempt to drive
nature away by violence, she will still re-
turn. He became very intirm at last, and
then his master passion was entirely con-
fined to his sight. One day being in the
apartment of Nine. de Choiseul, while
that lady was writing letter, he could not
withstand the temptation to look over her
shoulder. She, noticing him behind her,
continued as if nothing had happened.
Suddenly Condamine catches sight of
the words: 81 should tell you more
about it, if M. De la Condamine
were not behind me looking over
my shoulder "Ah Madame!'' cries
the accused. ~ assure you l was not
looking" At the execution of Damiens
no one could drive him away from the
scaffold. But at last he was taken ill. A
young surgeon had proposed to the Acad-
emie some new mode of operation in the
disease Condamine was suffering from,
and during the whole time the expert
ment lasted the patient was more con
cerned with watching the handling of the
instruments than with his own sutferings.
In vain did Esculapius implore him to
keep quiet. II want to see," he re-
peated. The wounds being bound up and
the patient left alone on a fair way toward
recovery, he could not lie still; in spite of
the injunction not to move, he persisted
in taking off the bandages to find out the
effects; and when his friends burst into
the room and found him dying, he shouted
out Justify: /" I am glad I inquired into
this. 1t has had the effect I anticipated;
that's a clever young man.'-Tinsley's
N00dzine. ~