MEMOIR OF M. ISIDORE GEOFFKOY SAINT HILAIRE. 391 



tliat wliicli tlie pliysico-tTiemical sciences are to ojDeratious upon bnit(^ matter. 

 It is tnxc, Buftou, and especially Daubenton, Lad acted upon this idea ; but, 

 less fortunate tlian their siftccssor, and perhaps beginning too early, they left 

 uo real impress on the minds of the people. It will irot be so Avith the work 

 of Isidore Geoffrey ; and this is one of the special results of that life so well 

 occupied. Here, as everywhere, pure science appears the mother of practical 

 science — a mother fruitful in proportion as she is exact and elevated. 



In speaking of the works of Isidore Geoffroy, M. Milne Edwards has said : 

 " All display a profound erudition and bear the stamp of a mind wise, elevated, 

 and generalizing, and the purity and elegance of the style enhance their merits."* 

 In speakiiig of his colleague's public instuictiou at the Faculty of Sciences, M. 

 Delauuay expressed himself in a similar manner: "M. Isidore Geoffroy," says 

 he, " was a most distinguished professor. He had an easy elocution, and ex- 

 pressed himself with graceful simplicity, without any pretension to eloquence, 

 and captivated the attention of his audience at once by the clearness of his 

 explanations, and by the art with which he could group isolated facts around 

 the principal ideas which he sought to illustrate."! 



These appreciations are just, and they characterize well the eminent man of 

 whom ^ve speak. His lucid mind embraced at once his whole subject; conse- 

 quently his ideas arose logically one from the other, and, as it were, co-ordered 

 themselves. His words translated faithfully his thoughts, clearness of expression 

 only reflecting clearness of conception. Thus his speech kindled at times, and 

 he never wanted striking images and happy comparisons to render the most 

 coiiiprehensive or profound ideas, becoming thus an orator without effort. His 

 lectures were always as well attended as his woi-ks were Andely read. 



It was at the museum, in 1829, that Isidore Geoffroy, at the age of twenty- 

 four, first aj)peared as a professor. He was then an assistant to his father, and 

 took ornithology as the subject of his lessons. The following year he delivered, 

 at the Athenceum, the remarkable course of lectures of which we have already 

 spoken. Having been appointed, in 1837, assistant to his father at the Faculty 

 of Sciences in Paris, he soon quitted this tepiporary chair to go to Bordeaux, 

 with the title of dean, to organize the Faculty of Sciences created in that city, 

 (1838.) But this task finished, he returned to Paris, and in 1840 Avas named 

 inspector of the Academy, and charged with the duty of inspector general of 

 the University. At the same time that he fulfilled these high functions, in 

 which civil administration is so closely connected with the best interests of 

 science, he replaced his father at the museum, the latter being struck Avith blind- 

 ness, as had been Lamarck and Savigny before him. In short, in 1841, this 

 position having been made permanent, the veteran of science yielded the place 

 to the young soldier Avhom he had trained ; and Isidore Geoffroy received, during 

 his father's life, the succession which, for a long time previously, he had in great 

 measure administered.| 



In effect, from 1824, the youthful savant had discharged the duties of assistant 

 naturalist at the Jardin des Plantes. In this office he had to superintend and 

 direct not only the colleetions of mammals and birds, but also the menagerie, 

 founded by Etienne Geoffroy, (1793.) He had deA'oted himself, heart and 

 soul, to this double task; but he became, perhaps, still more eaiinest in it Avhen 

 he Avas made the ofiicial chief of this very important part of the museum. All 

 those Avho have seen him at Avork kuoAV Avith Avhat steady ardor he labored to 



* Funeral of M. Isidore Geoffroy Saint Hilaire. Discourse of M. Milne Edwards, president 

 of the Academy of Sciences. 



t Funeral of 31. Isidore Geoffroy Saint Hilaire. Discourse of M. Dclaunay, in the name 

 of the Faculty of Sciences. 



I In 1844 he became titular inspector general, and he exercised the functions up to the 

 time when he. replaced M. de Blainville as professor of zoology at the Faculty of Sciences, 

 (1850.) 



