The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 888: Chapter 15 New Isaac Newton?

“Next, let us welcome the renowned British young researcher in electromagnetism, the distinguished pianist who was famous for a time, the swordsmanship master who is on par with the ‘Foil Napoleon’ Paris Sword Saint Francois Bertrand, the British diplomat representing the Royal Society who has traveled all the way from London—Sir Arthur Hastings, to the stage to deliver his speech!”

Amid thunderous applause in the lecture hall, Arthur ascended the steps composedly and steadily, making his way to the center of the stage.

He was dressed in an exquisite black tailcoat, with the insignia of a Junior Knight gleaming on his chest. His slick hair and slightly flushed dark eyes formed a striking contrast, fully exhibiting his knightly demeanor and the aura of a young scholar.

Everyone knew what was contained in the intricately carved redwood ceremonial box he held in his hands.

It was the Copley Medal, this gold-plated silver medal not only carried the noble vision of Sir Godfrey Copley for the advancement of human knowledge but also symbolized the highest affirmation from the entire British scientific community for the recipient.

Even though this was not the first time the French Academy of Sciences had been awarded the Copley Medal, such an honor, not easily bestowed, was still exceptionally precious even the second time.

As soon as Arthur stood firmly on the stage, the gentlemen of the Academy attending the ceremony voluntarily ceased their applause, and everyone’s gaze fell upon him, eager to hear what high discourse this representative from the Royal Society would deliver.

Arthur first smiled, pressing one hand to his chest as he gave a slight bow to the distinguished guests, then he began to speak in fluent French.

“Esteemed academicians of the French Academy of Sciences, the Academy of Letters, and the Academy of Arts, and most distinguished Immortals of the Academic Academy, it is my great honor today to come as an envoy of the Royal Society of the United Kingdom, crossing the English Channel to arrive at this hall that symbolizes the pinnacle of French intellectual achievement, which has nurtured countless brilliant minds. I am deeply honored.

As Voltaire once said: The realization of great endeavors requires determination, ability, organization, and a sense of responsibility. The very existence of the French Academy of Sciences is the best practice of this statement, and the gentleman I am about to mention is a paragon of the Academy, an exemplar for all of us who study Natural Philosophy.

He was born into an ordinary military family, initially studied medicine but had no interest in it, and thus began to delve into mathematics. He was an outstanding graduate of the École Polytechnique in Paris, an exceptional disciple and faithful follower of Laplace and Lagrange. At 21, he began serving as an assistant professor at the École Polytechnique, and at 25, he succeeded the great Mr. Fourier as a professor of calculus. By 31, he was elected a member of the French Academy of Sciences and selected as a member of the Academic Committee.”

As Arthur spoke, cheers and applause began to emanate from the audience below.

He smiled and paused slightly before continuing, “Back then, the great British poet Pope once said: ‘Nature and Nature’s laws lay hid in night. God said, Let Newton be! And all was light.’ I say: ‘Whether light is a particle or a wave, it hides behind the disk. God said, Let Poisson calculate! And behold, we discovered a bright spot behind the disk.’”

The audience did not expect Arthur to crack a joke at this time, and caught off guard, they instantly burst into a joyful atmosphere of laughter and cheerful applause.

It was evident that this joke was well-received by the lively and cheerful French people, with many unable to help but stand up and applaud approvingly.

Arthur, seeing the joke was well-received, smiled with satisfaction and continued speaking.

“Of course, I am not trying to disparage Mr. Poisson’s reputation. On the contrary, I have immense respect for him, as do all British researchers who hold this pioneer of cutting-edge scientific research in high esteem.

As Descartes said: ‘Accept nothing as true that is not self-evident.’ I also believe that in science, doubt always brings us closer to the truth than conviction. The true glory of science lies not in never making mistakes, but in the continuous effort to recognize them and learn from them.

For this reason, I have crossed the English Channel with the highest honor from the Royal Society to come to France, to Paris. I am here to deliver the Copley Medal into his hands. Perhaps, to Mr. Poisson, this is but a trifling honor, but I hope he can feel the most sincere praise and hopes from the entire British scientific community.

I, Arthur Hastings, hereby officially announce that the recipient of the 1832 Copley Medal from the Royal Society of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is… Mr. Simeon Denis Poisson, who has made outstanding contributions to analytical mathematics, applied mathematics, theoretical mechanics, thermodynamics, celestial mechanics, optics, ballistics, and hydraulics!”

Amid thunderous applause, Poisson, dressed in a deep black tailcoat with slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, slowly stood up. He nodded slightly to the audience in acknowledgment. Faced with the impending honor, Poisson remained composed, his expression as calm and elegant as if attending an ordinary academic conference.

On the other side of the stage, Adolphe Thiers, the president of the French Senate, also took the stage with slow steps. He was the guest of honor sent by the French Government to participate in this award ceremony.