Free astronomy is almost as dangerous as a free press.

Who can tell what takes place in those nocturnal _tete-a-tetes_ between Arago and Jupiter?
If it were M.Leverrier, well and good!--but a member of the Provincial Government! Beware, M.de Maupas! the Bureau of Longitude must make oath not to conspire with the stars, and especially with those mad artisans of celestial _coups d'etats_ which are called comets.
Then, too, as we have already said, one is a fatalist when one is a Bonaparte.

Napoleon the Great had his star, Napoleon the Little ought surely to have a nebula; the astronomers are certainly something of astrologers.

So take the oath, gentlemen.

It goes without saying that Arago refused.
One of the virtues of the oath to Louis Bonaparte is that, according as it is refused or taken, that oath gives you or takes from you merits, aptitudes, talents.