cuvier. L23 



He pursued at Caen natural history with great 

 zeal, the district being very favourably situated i"<»r 

 the study both of terrestrial and marine animals. 

 Some terebratulce having been dug up in his vicinity, 

 he conceived the idea of comparing fossils with 

 living species. The dissection of some molluscs 

 suggested to him the necessity of a reform in the 

 classification of animals ; and here originated the 

 germ of his two great works, the " Ossemens 

 Fossiles," and the " Regne Animal." 



He said to a friend regarding his observations and 

 thoughts which he had committed to paper : " These 

 manuscripts are solely for my own use, and doubtless 

 contain nothing but what has been done elsewhere, and 

 better established by the naturalists of the capital, for 

 they have been made without the aid of books or col- 

 lections." Nevertheless, almost every page of these 

 precious manuscripts was full of new facts and en- 

 lightened views, which were superior to almost all that 

 had previously appeared. 



While he was thus employed, a society was formed 

 at Valmont, in his neighbourhood, for the encouraev- 

 ment of agriculture. L'Abbe Tessier had sought at 

 this place a refuge from the persecutions of the revolu- 

 tionists, and at one of the meetings of the new society, 

 Cuvier discovered this learned old man, under hi- 

 disguise of a surgeon, and addressed him by name. 

 He had been able to recognize him from his style oi 

 speaking, which strongly resembled that of his writings ; 

 but the recognition was at first the cause of alarm 

 to the poor abbe, who was then under proscription. 



