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Authors: Paul Strathern
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Egypt of statistical analysis, a science which was barely under way in Europe. Desgenettes also read a paper to the Institute on ophthalmia, the eye disease which affected so many Egyptians and was now beginning to spread amongst French soldiers.
Other civil projects included the mapping of Cairo, whose labyrinthine streets were pinpointed by theodolite readings taken by two astronomer-savants, Nouét and Mechain; Conté’s construction of an experimental windmill at the northern end of Rodah Island, to catch the wind that blew up the Nile valley; and a study regarding the feasibility of building a Nile barrage.
Amongst its cultural activities, the Institute produced its own journal, La Décade , which appeared every ten days, i.e., once every revolutionary week. The first edition was dated 10 Vendémiaire Year VII (October 1, 1798), and came out under the editorship of Tallien, who prudently promised in its prospectus that it would contain “no news or political discussion,” but would instead be devoted to the sciences and the arts. This prospectus gives yet another indication of how the French continued to see their role in Egypt—or, more pertinently, how their commander-in-chief viewed this role, for there can be little doubt that Tallien’s text was written in the closest possible collaboration with the “vice-president” of the Institute.
We no longer live in times when conquerors only knew how to destroy what they had taken by force of arms, when the lust for gold dictated all their actions, when devastation, persecution and intolerance accompanied them wherever they went. Today, by contrast, the French respect not only the laws, the customs, the habits, but even the prejudices of the people whose territory they occupy. They leave it to time, reason, and education to introduce the changes that philosophy and the enlightenment of the present century have brought about, whose implementation becomes each day ever closer. 9
Despite the attitude of the Egyptian people, their widespread mistrust and suspicion of the French, even the violent opposition in the countryside, nothing appeared to have changed in the French attitude since they had first set foot in Egypt. Indeed, it appeared that nothing had changed since the day the expedition had been conceived thousands of miles away in France. Time and reason would bring about the inevitable enlightenment of the Egyptian people, who would eventually begin to behave and see the world as if they were Frenchmen.
Contributions to the first issue of La Décade ranged from an article by General Andréossy on how to manufacture gunpowder with local materials, to “A Fragment taken from the 17th song of Jerusalem,” an extract from the poet-savant Parseval-Grandmaison’s epic work-in-progress. A further fragment of this work would appear in a later issue of La Décade , featuring such immortal lines as:
The dawn was lit by the fires of day
The mountains shone with its golden ray
Renaud’s helmet reflected this light
As he breathed an air more pure and bright . . . 10
Ensuing issues of the journal would include translations from the Koran, and from the journals of Egyptian travelers, as well as astronomical observations, analyses of Nile water and tests on Egyptian soil samples. Such a wide-ranging intellectual magazine would have been the envy of most provincial cities in Europe, and even a few of its capitals.
The founding of the Institute aroused much curiosity amongst the leading Egyptian intellectuals, as is illustrated by El-Djabarti’s description:
The French installed in one of the houses a large library with several librarians who guarded the books and gave them to readers who needed them. This library was open every day from two hours before midday. The readers gathered in the big hall beside the one where the books were kept. They sat in chairs ranged around the large tables and set to work. Even ordinary soldiers came to work in the
Other civil projects included the mapping of Cairo, whose labyrinthine streets were pinpointed by theodolite readings taken by two astronomer-savants, Nouét and Mechain; Conté’s construction of an experimental windmill at the northern end of Rodah Island, to catch the wind that blew up the Nile valley; and a study regarding the feasibility of building a Nile barrage.
Amongst its cultural activities, the Institute produced its own journal, La Décade , which appeared every ten days, i.e., once every revolutionary week. The first edition was dated 10 Vendémiaire Year VII (October 1, 1798), and came out under the editorship of Tallien, who prudently promised in its prospectus that it would contain “no news or political discussion,” but would instead be devoted to the sciences and the arts. This prospectus gives yet another indication of how the French continued to see their role in Egypt—or, more pertinently, how their commander-in-chief viewed this role, for there can be little doubt that Tallien’s text was written in the closest possible collaboration with the “vice-president” of the Institute.
We no longer live in times when conquerors only knew how to destroy what they had taken by force of arms, when the lust for gold dictated all their actions, when devastation, persecution and intolerance accompanied them wherever they went. Today, by contrast, the French respect not only the laws, the customs, the habits, but even the prejudices of the people whose territory they occupy. They leave it to time, reason, and education to introduce the changes that philosophy and the enlightenment of the present century have brought about, whose implementation becomes each day ever closer. 9
Despite the attitude of the Egyptian people, their widespread mistrust and suspicion of the French, even the violent opposition in the countryside, nothing appeared to have changed in the French attitude since they had first set foot in Egypt. Indeed, it appeared that nothing had changed since the day the expedition had been conceived thousands of miles away in France. Time and reason would bring about the inevitable enlightenment of the Egyptian people, who would eventually begin to behave and see the world as if they were Frenchmen.
Contributions to the first issue of La Décade ranged from an article by General Andréossy on how to manufacture gunpowder with local materials, to “A Fragment taken from the 17th song of Jerusalem,” an extract from the poet-savant Parseval-Grandmaison’s epic work-in-progress. A further fragment of this work would appear in a later issue of La Décade , featuring such immortal lines as:
The dawn was lit by the fires of day
The mountains shone with its golden ray
Renaud’s helmet reflected this light
As he breathed an air more pure and bright . . . 10
Ensuing issues of the journal would include translations from the Koran, and from the journals of Egyptian travelers, as well as astronomical observations, analyses of Nile water and tests on Egyptian soil samples. Such a wide-ranging intellectual magazine would have been the envy of most provincial cities in Europe, and even a few of its capitals.
The founding of the Institute aroused much curiosity amongst the leading Egyptian intellectuals, as is illustrated by El-Djabarti’s description:
The French installed in one of the houses a large library with several librarians who guarded the books and gave them to readers who needed them. This library was open every day from two hours before midday. The readers gathered in the big hall beside the one where the books were kept. They sat in chairs ranged around the large tables and set to work. Even ordinary soldiers came to work in the
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