MEMOIR OF GEOFFEOY SAINT HILAIRE. 165 



ticed. Of one, the object was the classification of mammifers — and 

 here the skilfullv-sustained idea of the subordinaiion of characters, 

 which was the great resource of Cuvier, predominates. The other 

 was the history of the makis, or apes of Madagascar; and in this we 

 already discern traces of the imity of composition * to which Geoffroy 

 has subjected all comparative anatomy. It was easy to foresee that 

 two intellects, whose philosophic processes were so difiFerent, would 

 r.ot be long in finding separate paths. Meanwhile their confiding 

 friendship rendered them perfectly happy. In a science till then so 

 little cultivated each result at which they arrived was new to all the 

 world. How often have we heard both in after years recall with 

 complacency that early and enchanted time when, in the words of 

 one of them, (Cuvier,) " they never breakfasted without having first 

 made a discovery." The truth is, so little was then known of the 

 structure of animals that it was almost impossible to make the dis- 

 section of one without perceiving some new organic details. 



It was in vain that the jealous friends of Geoffroy expostulated 

 that he was laying himself too open, and preparing for himself a de- 

 signing rival, perhaps a master. The effect which these represen- 

 tations produced on him has been recorded by Cuvier, in terms which 

 will enure to the lasting honor of Geoffroy. "They endeavored," 

 he says, "to make him believe that he ought not to befriend me, 

 that by and by I should have the sole credit of our labors; but this 

 excellent young man declared to me, with entire earnestness of heart, 

 that such advice made him unhappy, and that nothing would ever 

 have the power to change his conduct towards me." 



The labors of Geoffroy were conducting him at a rapid pace towards 

 the Institute, Avhen, at the commencement of 1798, Berthollet came 

 to say to him : " Come with Monge and me; we will be companions; 

 Bonaparte is to be our general." Whither were they going? It was 

 what no one knew. In this very mystery there was one attraction 

 the more for Geoffroy. He embarked, and his lucky star conducted 

 him to Egypt. 



From the moment of his arrival Geoffroy was seized with the de- 

 sire of exploring everything. He rummages the soil, the tombs, the 

 ruins. He frequents the catacombs, those gloomy and antique mu- 

 seums, where the Egyptians of old collected the remains of creatures 

 which were their cotemporaries, and laid them up, as it were, a deposit 

 for the stud}' of after times. 



Geoffroy brought us from Egypt specimens of the crocodile and the 

 ibis, entire and perfectly preserved, skeletons of the ichneumon, the 

 ox, &c. These animals, which lived two or three thousand years ago, 

 compared with those of to-day are found in no respect to differ from 

 them. Thus we owe to him the strongest proof that could be given 



* "It seems that nature has shut herself up within certain limits, and has formed all 

 living beings on one sole plan, essentially the same in principle, but varied in a thousand 

 ways in all the accessory parts. Thus, in each class of animals, the forms, however varied, 

 all result at bottom from organs common to all ; nature has forbidden herself the employ- 

 ment of new ones." — DisxertcUion sur les Makit. — Magasin Encyclopedique, t. vii, p. 20, 1796. 



