ield of action, was the
conduct of Laplace to the young philosopher Biot, when the latter had
read to the French Academy his paper, "SUR LES EQUATIONS AUX DIFFERENCE
MELEES." The assembled SAVANS, at its close, felicitated the reader
of the paper on his originality. Monge was delighted at his success.
Laplace also praised him for the clearness of his demonstrations, and
invited Biot to accompany him home. Arrived there, Laplace took from a
closet in his study a paper, yellow with age, and handed it to the
young philosopher. To Biot's surprise, he found that it contained
the solutions, all worked out, for which he had just gained so much
applause. With rare magnanimity, Laplace withheld all knowledge of the
circumstance from Biot until the latter had initiated his reputation
before the Academy; moreover, he enjoined him to silence; and the
incident would have remained a secret had not Biot himself published it,
some fifty years afterwards.

An incident is related of a French artisan, exhibiting the same
characteristic of self-sacrifice in another form. In front of a lofty
house in course of erection at Paris was the usual scaffold, loaded with
men and materials. The scaffold, being too weak, suddenly broke down,
and the men upon it were precipitated to the ground--all except two, a
young man and a middle-aged one, who hung on to a narrow ledge, which
trembled under their weight, and was evidently on the point of giving
way. "Pierre," cried the elder of the two, "let go; I am the father of a
family." "C'EST JUSTE!" said Pierre; and, instantly letting go his hold,
he fell and was killed on the spot. The father of the family was saved.

The brave man is magnanimous as well as gentle. He does not take even an
enemy at a disadvantage, nor strike a man when he is down and unable
to defend himself. Even in the midst of deadly strife such instances
of generosity have not been uncommon. Thus, at the Battle of Dettingen,
during the heat of the action, a squadron of French cavalry charged an
English regiment; but when the young French officer who led them, and
was about to attack the English leader, observed that he had only
one arm, with which he held his bridle, the Frenchman saluted him
courteously with his sword, and passed on. [1411]

It is related of Charles V., that after the siege and capture of
Wittenburg by the Imperialist army, the monarch went to see the tomb
of Luther. While reading the inscription on it, one of the