The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 10, No. 273, September 15, 1827 — John Shaqi
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 10, No. 273, September 15, 1827Various
History
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 10, No. 273, September 15, 1827
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
Vol. 10, No. 273. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1827. PRICE 2d.
GASPARD MONGE'S MAUSOLEUM.
[Illustration]
(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.)
Sir,--As one of your correspondents has favoured you with a drawing of
the gaol I designed for the city and county of Norwich, with which you
have embellished a recent number of the MIRROR, I flatter myself that an
engraving from the drawing I herewith send you of the mausoleum of
Gaspard Monge, which I drew while at Paris, in 1822, will also be
interesting to the readers of your valuable little miscellany. Gaspard
Monge, whose remains are deposited in the burying ground in Pere la
Chaise, at Paris, in a magnificent mausoleum, was professor of geometry
in the Polytechnique School at Paris, and with Denon accompanied
Napoleon Bonaparte on his memorable expedition to Egypt; one to make
drawings of the architectural antiquities and sculpture, and the other
the geographical delineations of that ancient country. He returned to
Paris, where he assisted Denon in the publication of his antiquities. At
his decease the pupils of the Polytechnique School erected this
mausoleum to his memory, as a testimony of their esteem, after a design
made by his friend, Monsieur Denon. The mausoleum is of Egyptian
architecture, with which Denon had become familiarly acquainted.
There is a bust of Monge placed on a terminal pedestal underneath a
canopy in the upper compartment, which canopy is open in front and in
the back. In the crown cavetto of the cornice is an Egyptian winged
globe, entwined with serpents, emblematical of time and eternity; and on
the faci below is engraved the following line:--
A. GASPARD MONGE.
On each side of the upper compartment is inscribed the following
_memento mori_:
LES ELEVES
DE L'ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE.
A.G. MONGE.
COMTE DE PELUSE.
Underneath this inscription is carved in sunk work an Egyptian lotus
flower in an upright position; on the back of the mausoleum is the date
of the year in which Gaspard Monge died. The body is in the cemetery
below.
AN. MDCCCXX.
Monge was a man of considerable merit as a geometrician, and, while
living, stood preeminent above his contemporaries in the French school
of that day. He is the author of several works, but his most popular one
is entitled "Gèomètrie Descriptive. par G. Monge, de l'Institut des
Sciences, Lettres et Arts, de l'Ecole Polytechnique; Membre du Sénat
Conservateur, Grand Officier de la Legion d'Honeur et Cointe de
l'Empire."
The programme to this work is interesting, as it urges the necessity of
making geometry a branch of the national education, and points out the
beneficial results that would arise therefrom. The following is the
translation:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account