216 Biographical Memoir ofM. Philippe Pinel. 



Another mernoir explains the mechanism, by which lions and 

 other animals of the cat tribe, without fatigue, keep their claws 

 raised, when they do not need to use them. In a third me- 

 moir *, he endeavours to account for the extraordinary form of 

 the head of the elephant, and especially for the double con- 

 vexity of its occiput, the object of which is to furnish more ex- 

 tensive attachments to the muscles destined to support the head, 

 clumsy enough of itself, and made still more so by the proboscis 

 and tusks peculiar to that animal. He also wrote several papers 

 on the mechanism of the different luxations -f*. 



It would seem that these are the only remains of his first la- 

 bours, and that he did not even preserve in manuscript any 

 sketch of the plan, which, without doubt, he had formed. His 

 capacious and geometrical head did not need this resource. The 

 whole of science was there strongly imprinted, and he detached 

 at will these kinds of fragments, as if to shew the extent of his 

 powers. 



Who would have thought that an understanding so enlarged, 

 and faculties so perfect, were themselves destined to furnish an 

 example of the weakness of our nature ? It is but too true, 

 that towards the end of his life, M. Pinel felt the gradual ap- 

 proach of a state which he had often found to be incurable. He 

 saw that his duty was thenceforth to live in repose, and await 

 with resignation the moment when his physical existence would 

 share the fate of his intellect. His life, though from that time 

 less valuable to himself and to the public, was still dear 

 to those by whom he had been beloved. It was now only a 

 recollection, but it was the recollection of a fine genius and a 

 worthy man. Their tender and respectful cares smoothed, as 

 much as it was possible, his mournful transition. He quietly 

 fell asleep on the 25th October 1826, at the age of eighty-one 

 years. 



His place in the Faculty had been disposed of on the new or- 

 ganisation which took place in 1823. That which he occupied 

 in the Academy was given to M. Frederick Cuvier. 



• Jouniel de Physique, t. xliii. p. 47. 



t Journal de Physique, t. xxxiii. p. 12; t. xxxiv. p. 350; t. xxxv. p. 457. 



