ftli Death qfCuvier. 



him, and were every day more and more surprised with his pro^ 

 digious talents. 



His range of knowledge was surpassingly great. He had all 

 his life read much, — seen much,— and had never forgotten any 

 thing. A powerful memory, sustained and directed by sound 

 judgment and singular sagacity, was the principal foundation of 

 his immense works and his success. This memory was parti- 

 cularly remarkable in what related to forms, considered in the 

 widest sense of that word ; the figure of an animal, seen in 

 reality or in drawing, never left his mind, and served him as a 

 point of comparison for all similar objects. The sight of a 

 map, of the plan of a city? seemed sufficient to give him an al- 

 most intuitive knowledge of the place ; and among all his ta- 

 lents, that memory which may be called graphic^ seemed most 

 apparent : he was consequently an able draughtsman, seizing 

 hkenesses with rapidity and correctness, and had the art of 

 imitating with his pencil the appearance of the tissue of organs, 

 in a manner peculiarly his own, and his anatomical drawings 

 were admirable. 



In the midst of a life so occupied, he was far from neglect- 

 ing the ornaments of society : his conversation sometimes grave 

 and solemn, — sometimes piquant and lively, always correct, cir- 

 cumspect and original — made him the ornament of the saloon, 

 and fascinating to his acquaintances. He was a warm, sincere, 

 and faithful friend. He engaged the minds and hearts of those 

 who surrounded him, and the ability with which he directed 

 the efforts of others towards his own views, was not one of 

 the least causes of his success. His steadiness in friendship, 

 his gratitude to those who had contributed to the prosperity of 

 his youth, his moderation in all discussions, the devotion which 

 he knew how to inspire in those about him, are evidences of the 

 qualities of his heart, and explain that extensive moral in- 

 fluence which he exercised. 



He was surrounded by friends wonhy him : his wife, his 

 daughter-in-law, angels of goodness, of grace, and resignation, 

 under dreadful misfortunes, could not but bestow happiness : 

 his brother, a distinguished man, and who would have been 

 more so had he not been placed beside a giant, was a true and 



