50 MEMOIR OF CUVIER. 



" schools before political rights ; make citizens com- 

 prehend what the state of society imposes on them ; 

 teach them what are political rights before you otfer 

 them for their enjoyment ; then all ameliorations will 

 be made without causing a shock ; then each new 

 idea, thrown upon good ground, will have time to ger- 

 minate, to grow, and to ripen, without convulsing the 

 social body."* Though he had so much intercourse 

 with royalty, and held high official situations, he 

 would not subserviently bow or hold a degrading 

 office, even at the expense of royal favour. Witness 

 the part he took in the discussion regarding the Pro- 

 testant Courts of France, his arguments against the 

 admission of the Jesuits to any sway in the univer- 

 sity, and his refusal of the Censorship of the press 

 after he had been in reality appointed, arid which 

 was taken highly amiss at court. 



In private, he was kind, affable, and affectionate, 

 entered into conversation, and was always ready to 

 communicate his information, even upon the slightest 

 topics. To strangers and young people he was parti- 

 cularly attentive, and to those engaged in scientific 

 pursuits, he would point out the way, and shew where 

 the best information was to be found ; by his pupils 

 he was beloved, and as a teacher, he was most anxi- 

 ous for their improvement. Strictly devoted to order 

 and regularity, without which he could not have ac- 

 complished the manifold duties of his appointments, 

 he Disliked much to see the want of these properties in 

 * Mrs Lee p. 246, 247. 



