128 EMINENT NATURALISTS. 



Majesty, Greorge IV., concerning our natural history 

 was, that if the private collections could be massed 

 into one, they would form a great national museum 

 which would surpass every other. 



The election for Westminster was going on at the 

 period of his visit, and he frequently dwelt on the 

 amusement he had derived from being on the 

 hustings every day. " These orgies of liberty were 

 then unknown in France, and it was a curious 

 sj>ectacle for a man who reflected so deeply on all 

 around him, to see and hear our orators crying out 

 at the tops of their voices to the mob, who pelted 

 them with, mud, cabbages, eggs, and other sundry 

 missiles ; and Sir Murray Maxwell, in his splendid 

 uniform, flattering the crowd, who reviled him, and 

 sent at his head all the varieties of the vegetable 

 kingdom." Cuvier frequently described this scene 

 with great animation. 



At Oxford, to which he was conducted by Dr. 

 Leach, he was received with great distinction, and 

 its splendid collections made a deep impression upon 

 his mind, and often called forth his admiration. He 

 joined Madame Cuvier and his daughter at Windsor, 

 and after admiring the Castle, &c, they went to pay 

 a visit to Sir Wm. Herschell, at Slough, where a 

 cloudy evening prevented them from observing any 

 of the celestial phenomena through that astronomer's 

 splendid telescopes. 



The kindness and hospitality with which Cuvier 

 and his family were everywhere received were remem- 

 bered with the most grateful feelings ; and the favour- 



