310 ANDREW JACKSON HOWE. 



mostly Catholic or infidel, he was discreet enough to 

 escape the wrath of extremists. His devotion to sci- 

 ence made his presence pleasing to all parties. Then, 

 again, Cuvier was uncommonly attractive in manners 

 and address. He lifted his hat to princes and peas- 

 ants with the same ease and grace. He bowed to 

 every child that passed ; and shook hands with those 

 who seemed to need recognition and encouragement. 



Cuvier married Madame Duvaucel, an4 became 

 the father of four children, all of whom he survived. 

 The last, an only daughter, a lovely character, and the 

 idol of her father, died of consumption a few days be- 

 fore she was to be married. The sad event made such 

 a deep impression upon the illustrious scientist that he 

 never fully recovered from the shock. 



As Secretary of the Institute, Cuvier became the 

 biographer of the celebrated scientists of his day; and 

 he performed the service with such generous sentiment 

 and richness of language, that in this department of 

 literature he undoubtedly achieved one of his most 

 notable triumphs. He manifested a lively interest in 

 the welfare of his pupils, and rarely administered a 

 rebuke even when the provocation to do so was great. 

 One day a student of medicine came to him, and ven- 

 tured to say that he thought he had discovered some- 

 thing new in the nervous system while dissecting the 

 viscera of a human subject. "Are you an entomolo- 

 gist?" asked Cuvier. "No," replied the student. 

 " Well, then," returned the master, "go and dissect an 

 insect, I care not which, then reconsider your observa- 

 tion, and if it appear to be correct, I will believe you 

 on your word." The student followed the teacher's 

 advice, and after dissecting specimens of several spe- 

 cies, came back with the confession that he had begun 



