20 MEMOIR OF CUVIER. 



it is not the least of the merits of these two authors, 

 thus incessantly to inspire a wish to return to each 

 other, although this alternative seems to prove, and 

 in fact it does prove, that in each, something was 

 wanting."* Let us now see if he who could so well 

 compare, could mould his feelings and observations, 

 to remedy some of the defects of these illustrious 

 men. 



GEORGE LEOPOLD CHRETIEN FREDERIC DA- 

 GOB ERT CUVIER was born at Montbeliard,f a town 

 in France, on the 23d of August 1769. His family 

 was of Swiss descent, but, in consequence of pro- 

 fessing the reformed religion, was obliged to retire 

 to a remote province in Germany, in which his uncle 

 was a Lutheran clergyman. His father was an offi- 

 cer in a Swiss regiment in the service of France, 

 where he distinguished himself, and, after a faith- 

 ful service of forty years, was appointed comman- 

 dant of the artillery at Montbeliard, with a small 

 pension from government. He married very late in 

 life, and had three sons, of whom George became 

 the eldest, a brother having died only a few months 

 previous to his own birth. This event preyed so 

 heavily upon the feelings of his mother, that the in- 

 fant was scarcely expected to survive ; but the ten- 



* Prospectus to Diet, des Sciences Naturelles, quoted 

 from Mrs Lee's Memoir, p. 135. 



f- At the time of Cuvier's birth, Montbeliard belonged 

 "* the kingdom of Wurtemberg. 



