Hadamard on Jules Tannery

In 1936 French scientists gathered to celebrate the 70th birthday of Jacques Hadamard. At his jubilee meeting Hadamard spoke about those who had influenced him in his career. In particular Hadamard, in his reply to the address of Ernest Vessiot, spoke about Jules Tannery:-

The young people of today are unable to imagine what the luminous figure of Jules Tannery was for our generation. They cannot imagine this because there is no personal scientific production remaining after him. But for us, he was the scientific, intellectual and moral guide. As for myself, I shall never forget the meeting when, from the very first words exchanged, I discovered the serene and, at the same time humane, superiority of the man I was to admire and cherish all my life. Everything that each and every one of us has been able to do is in some way his work, because he has left something of himself and his spirit in the personality and spirit of each one of us. You know this well, Vessiot, you who have, like me, kept his memory, and reserved him first place just now, when you recalled our wonderful memories of the École.

Last Updated March 2006