JiULOGIUM ON CUVIER. 107 



beholds swimming there those enormous marine reptiles, of 

 which we now find only the scattered remains. 



" To arrive at that degree of certainty in the knowledge of 

 extinct animals, M. Cuvier is obliged to make, on the living 

 species which he compares to the antediluvian forms, obser- 

 vations which demonstrate his immense knowledge, and the 

 justness of his mind in the art of discrimination. His work 

 becomes a fruitful source of instruction for the zoologist 

 and the anatomist. His critical and literary discussions on 

 the animals known to the ancients, complete the natural 

 history of many species commenced by Button. He sketches 

 out the history of many others, discovered since the death of 

 his predecessor and rival in glory. His osteological descrip- 

 tions, full of facts as new as they are curious, commence a com- 

 parative osteology unknown before his time. The prelimi- 

 nary discourse of that work, now read as a distinct and sepa- 

 rate work, translated in all the living languages of Europe, 

 is filled with principles, as just as they are admirable, upon 

 the perpetuities of species, and on the accidental variations 

 which may happen to certain among them : they will ever 

 serve as a guide to those naturalists, who, not permitting 

 themselves to be led astray by the imagination, will see in 

 physical phenomena that only which observation can discover. 

 " M. Cuvier had scarce written the last pages of that im- 

 perishable work, when the ardour of his genius led him to 

 undertake a new work, still more considerable, The Natural 

 History of Fishes. We again find the same character per- 

 vading the execution of the plan created by the genius of 

 M. Cuvier. 



" He commences by studying one after the other all the 

 species which he is able to collect, and the number then ex- 

 ceeded four thousand. This preliminary labour ended, M. Cu- 

 vier then writes these descriptions, remarkable for their exact- 

 ness without dryness, and which naturalists, jealous of pro- 

 ducing durable works, will without doubt seek to imitate. 



" M. Cuvier had the happiness to enjoy during his life- 

 time the duration and solidity of his Works. Having consi- 

 dered under every point of view the objects which he had 

 studied, he established laws, conceived by his vast intelligence, 

 which have remained immutable as the order of nature upon 

 which they are based. 



" But I feel my voice too feeble for the eulogium of the 

 great Master ! A grateful pupil, I ought only to express my- 

 self in words of gratitude, and to remember his latest wishes. 

 He has charged me to terminate the Work, in which he had 

 willed me to be his associate. The numerous materials we 



