854 Cuvier as a Naturalist. 



secretary of the Institute ; at Rome, when nominated master of 

 requests ; at London, when the French Academy admitted him 

 among their number ; in Holland, when he received a donation 

 from the Emperor ; and it was by the spontaneous wish of Louis 

 XVIII. that he was created a Baron. If he accepted this un- 

 sought for title of honour, it was no doubt from the feeling that 

 it would have evinced more vanity to refuse it ; for, it must 

 be admitted, that more pride than humility or philosophy is 

 shown by those who reject distinctions, which the wise accept 

 without considering themselves more elevated, and which the 

 proud refuse to increase their consequence. 



This modest instructor was not only invested with all scienti- 

 fic and literary honours, but was often intrusted, in the exer- 

 cise of his important functions, with missions of the most delicate 

 nature. As inspector of studies, he was commissioned to or- 

 ganize the Lyceums of Bordeaux, Marseilles, and Nice; as 

 counsellor of the University, he was at the head of the com- 

 missions sent into Italy, Holland, and Lower Germany, to con- 

 nect with the Imperial University the establishments of public 

 instruction beyond the Alps and to the north of the Rhine. At 

 a later period he directed the commission of public instruction ; 

 and during many years presided over the faculties and the 

 primary protestant schools. Finally, as counsellor of state, he 

 presided in the committee of the interior, and directed the forms 

 of worship which were not catholic. 



These journeys, besides producing several writings, which 

 shall afterwards- be noticed, contributed to complete his work 

 on fossil bones, for he every where hastened to visit the collec- 

 tions, and to cause drawings to be made of every thing that at- 

 tracted his attention. It was in this way that he detected a 

 great number of the bones of hippopotami in the cabinets of 

 Tuscany, and that at Leyden he could verify his conjectures 

 respecting the great aquatic salamander of (Eningen. These 

 journeys likewise proved beneficial to M. Cuvier's health, by 

 diverting his mind from the labours which have been mentioned, 

 as well as others of which it remains for us to give some account. 



As perpetual secretary, he had to pronounce an eloge on the 

 deceased members, and to give an annual account of the labours 

 of the Academy ; and, in 1808, he had, in addition, to present to 



