You do not know the human heart.

Bailly firmly resisted the imperious solicitations of his former patron,
and refused even to absent himself from the Academy on the day of the
nomination. He did not hesitate to sacrifice the attractions and
advantages of an illustrious friendship to the performance of a duty; he
answered to him who wanted to be master, "I will be free." Honour be to
him!

The example of Bailly warns timid men never to listen to mere
entreaties, whatever may be their source; not to yield but to good
arguments. Those who have thought so little of their own tranquillity as
to do any more in academical elections than to give a silent and secret
vote, will see on their part, in the noble and painful resistance of an
honest man, how culpable they become in trying to substitute authority
for persuasion, in wishing to subject conscience to gratitude.

On the occurrence of a similar discord, the astronomer Lemonnier, of the
Academy of Sciences, said one day to Lalande, his fellow-academician and
former pupil, "I enjoin you not to put your foot again within my door
during the semi-revolution of the lunar orbital nodes." Calculation
shows this to be nine years. Lalande submitted to the punishment with a
truly astronomical punctuality; but the public, despite the scientific
form of the sentence, thought it excessively severe. What then will be
said of that which was pronounced by Buffon?--"We will never see each
other more, Sir!" These words will appear at once both harsh and solemn,
for they were occasioned by a difference of opinion on the comparative
merits of Sedaine and the Abbé Maury. Our friend resigned himself to
this separation, nor ever allowed his just resentment to be perceived. I
may even remark, that after this brutal disruption he showed himself