PECUNIARY ANXIETIES. 169 



course of the narrative has been anticipated 

 by a month or two. Let us now return to the 

 natural order. The letter to his uncle of 

 course gave great pleasure at home. Just 

 after reading it his father writes (February, 

 1832), " Now that you are intrusted with the 

 portfolio of M. Cuvier, I suppose your plan 

 is considerably enlarged, and that your work 

 will be of double volume ; tell me, then, as 

 much about it as you think I can understand, 

 which will not be a great deal after all." His 

 mother's letter on the same occasion is full of 

 tender sympathy and gratitude. 



Meanwhile one daily anxiety embittered his 

 scientific happiness. The small means at his 

 command could hardly be made, even with the 

 strictest economy, to cover the necessary ex- 

 penses of himself and his artist, in which were 

 included books, drawing materials, fees, etc. 

 He was in constant terror lest he should be 

 obliged to leave Paris, to give up his investiga- 

 tions on the fossil fishes, and to stop work on 

 the costly plates he had begun. The truth 

 about his affairs, which he would gladly have 

 concealed from those at home as long as 

 possible, was drawn from him by an acciden- 

 tal occurrence. His brother had written to 

 him for a certain book, and, failing to receive 



