174 Eloge of Baron Cuvier. 



each other, and distorting them, that they may be subjected to the 

 laws of a system ; which ought, in short, to lead the thoughts in- 

 cessantly to that supreme Intelligence, who governs, enlightens, • 

 and vivifies all, who reveals all things, and whom all things re- 

 veal. 



At this part of his lecture he displayed a calmness and just- 

 ness of perception, combined with a depth and seriousness of 

 thought, which led his auditors to think of that book which 

 speaks of the creation to all mankind. This was the result of 

 his ideas rather than his expressions, for every thing in the free 

 exposition which he made, breathed the feehng of the omnipo- 

 tence of a supreme cause, and of an infinite wisdom. He seemed, 

 as it were, by the examination of the visible world, to be led to 

 the precincts of that which is invisible, and the examination of 

 the creature evoked the Creator. At last these words fell from 

 him, in which it is easy to see a presentiment : " Such, gentle- 

 men, will be the objects of our investigation, if time, my own 

 strength, and the state of my health, permit me to continue and 

 finish them." The closing scene of M. Cuvier's life, as a public 

 teacher, appears to me to be impressed with peculiar beauty. 

 Who could fail to be deeply affected at the last accents of so pure 

 an intelligence, disengaged from the vanities and the interests of 

 systems ? Who could remain cold and insensible before the last 

 look thrown on creation by him who had revealed so many of its 

 mysteries ? Who could resist the feelings excited by the view 

 of science revealing eternal wisdom ? How noble, now affecting, 

 and how prophetic ! So soon to appear before the supreme tri- 

 bunal, what conviction could he express, what words could he 

 pronounce, which would have formed a more suitable prepara- 

 tion ? After this lecture the first symptoms appeared of the 

 disorder, which, in less than eight days, brought him to the 

 grave. He presided, notwithstanding, on the following day, in 

 the Committee of the Interior. Soon, however, paralysis of a 

 pecnihar kind destroyed in succession the nerves which produce 

 voluntary motion, leaving uninjured those which form the seat 

 of sensation ; the members affected thus became completely in- 

 ert, and yet retained their sensibility. M. Cuvier had, a short 

 time before, read to the Academy of Sciences, a memoir sent by 

 an Italian anatomist on the existence of this little known affec- 



