CUVIER, BARON. 



CYPRIAN US, ST. 





That in the strata called primitive there are no remains of life or 

 organised existence. 2nd. That all organised existences were not 

 created at the same time, but at different times, probably very remote 

 from each other vegetables before animal*, the mollusca and fishes 

 before reptiles, and the latter before the mammalia. The transition- 

 limestone exhibits the remains of the lowest forms of existence ; the 

 chalk and clay conceal the remains of fishes, reptiles, and quadrupeds, 

 the beings of a former order of things which have now disappeared. 

 3rd. That among fossil remains no vestige appears of man or his 

 works, no bones of monkeys are found, no specimen of the whol tribe 

 of quadrumanous animals. 4th. That the fossil remains in the more 

 recent strata are those which approach nearest to the present type of 

 the corresponding living species. 5th. That the stratified layers which 

 form the crust of the globe are divisible into two classes, one formed 

 by fresh water and the other formed in the waters of the sea ; a fact 

 which leads to the conclusion that several parts of the globe have been 

 alternately covered by the sea and by fresh water. From these and 

 other facts Cuvier concludes that the actual order of tliinjs on the 

 surface of our globe did not commence at a very remot time : he 

 agrees with Deluc and Dolomieu, that the surface of the earth was 

 subject to a great and sudden revolution not longer than five or six 

 thousand years ago, and that thU catastrophe caused the disappearance 

 of countries formerly the abode of man and of species of animals now 

 unknown to us; but he also believes that the countries now inhabited 

 had been at some former period, long before the creation of man, 

 inhabited by land animals, which were destroyed by some previous 

 convulsion, and that this globe has undergone two or three such 

 visitations, which destroyed as many orders of animals, of which we 

 find the remains in the various strata. In many respects this work 

 has been left in arr^ar by the rapid advances of scientific research and 

 deduction, but it has not been superseded ; and it will remain a noble 

 monument to its author's extraordinary attainments aud great mental 

 power. 



In 1326 Charles X. bestowed on Cuvier the decoration of grand 

 officer of the legion of honour; and the king of \Viirteraberg, his 

 former sovereign, made him commander of his order of the crown. 

 In 1827, Cuvier, as a member of the cabinet of the interior, was 

 intrusted with the superintendence of all affairs concerning the differ- 

 ent religions professed in France, except the Catholic. In the same 

 year he had the misfortune to lose his only remaining child, a daughter, 

 amiable and accomplished, and on the eve of her marriage ; a loss from 

 which he never entirely recovered. In 1823 appeared the first volume 

 of his ' Histoire Naturelle des I'oisj ins ; ' a splendid work, of which 

 however he lived to see only the first eight volumes published. It 

 contains more than 5000 species of fishes, described from real speci- 

 mens and classed, with observations on their anatomy, and critical 

 researches on their nomenclature, ancient as well as modern. 



In 1830 Cuvier opened a course in the Colldge de France on the 

 history and progress of science, and especially of the natural sciences, 

 in all ages. In the same year he paid a second visit to England, and it 

 was during bU absence from Paris that the revolution of July took 

 place. On his return he was graciously received by the new king 

 Louis Philippe, who in 1832 made him a peer of France. On the 8th 

 of May of that year he opened the third and concluding part of his 

 course of lectures on the history of science, by summing up all that he 

 hn 1 previously said ; he tlieu pointed out what remained for him to 

 say respecting this earth and its changes, and announced his intention 

 of unfolding his own manner of viewing the present state of creation. 

 This discourse, delivered in a calm solemn manner, produced a deep 

 impression on his hearers, which was increased when he added the 

 concluding words " These will be the objects of our future investiga- 

 tions, if time, health, and strength shall be given to me to continue 

 and finish them with you." That was his last lecture. The following 

 day he fell ill, and soon after paralysis manifested itself. He saw the 

 approach of death with resignation, and he expired on the 13th of 

 May 132, at the age of sixty-three. Ho was buried in the cemetery 

 of Perc-la-Chaise : his funeral was attended by deputations from the 

 Council of State, the several academics, by members of the two 

 Chambers, 4c. 



The career of this great and good man, passed quietly, but most 

 usefully, in the pursuits of science, and in instructing and benefiting 

 mankind, during forty years the most eventful in the history of France 

 and of Kurope, forms a striking contrast with that of the conquerors 

 and politicians who agitated the world during the same period. His 

 works, of which we have mentioned a few of the most important, are 

 very numerous, aud even a mere catalogue of them would exceed our 

 limits. The reader will find a full list of them in chronological order 

 in the very interesting ' Memoir ' by Mrs. R. Lee, named below. 

 Besides his scientific works, Cuvier wrote numerons eloges, among 

 other-*, of Bruguieres, Daubenton, Lemonnier, Priestley, Adanson, 

 Sauasur*. Bonnet, Fourcroy, Pallan, Kumford, Werner, Sir Joseph 

 Bank-', JJiUambre, Borthollet, Lace'p6de, Fabbroni, Bamond, Sir Hum- 

 phry Davy, &c. These dloges, which are really interesting biographies, 

 have been published in 3 vols. 8vo. He also contributed to the ' Die- 

 tionnaire des Sciences Medicules,' the ' Biographie Universelle,' and to 

 the ' Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles.' 



(Mrs. R. Lee, Memoir of Baron Cuvier; Duvornoy, Notice Historique 

 tur la Oavraget et la Vie de M. le Baron 0. Cuvier; A. De Candolle, 



Notice sur la Vie et les Ouvrctgcs de G. Cuvier, in the Billiothcque 

 Universelle de Geneve, vol. xlix. ; aud the Eloges of Messrs. Parisot, 

 Flourens, Pasquior, Laurillard, &c.) 



CUVIEK, FREDERIC, the younger brother of Georges Cuvier, was 

 born at Montbe'liard, June 28, 1773. Frederic, like his more famous 

 brother, early devoted himself to the study of natural history ; and 

 though he never accomplished anything comparable in scientific value, 

 he was perhaps little his inferior in research, and he contributed many 

 works of considerable learning and interest to the naturalist's library. 

 Of his separate works, the best known is his 'Histoire Naturelle des 

 Mammiferes," published in 1824, in which scientific precision and 

 popular interest are very happily combined. This work is much 

 admired in France for its elegance an 1 purity of style. M. Frederic 

 Cuvier was a careful observer, aud has given the result of his reading 

 and observation in numerous papers on zoology in the ' Dictionnaire 

 des Sciences Naturelles.' The important volume on ' Cetacea,' in tho 

 supplement to Georges Cuvier's edition of Buffou, is by Frederic Cuvier; 

 the introduction is especially marked by bro.wl and comprehensive 

 views. But M. F. Cuvier's most strictly scientific work is one he pub- 

 lished in 1822 on tho 'Teeth of Animals,' and which is believed to 

 have had considerable influence in leading to the adoption of a more 

 rigorous method of classifying the Mammalia. M. Frederic Cuvier, 

 who was greatly esteemed for his personal qualities as well as for his 

 extensive acquirements, died at Strasbourg, on the 17th of July 1838. 



CUYP. [KuTP.] 



CYBO, a Genoese family, said to be of Greek extraction, several 

 individuals of whioh distinguished themselves in the military service 

 of their country during the middle ages. Pope Innocent VIII., who 

 was elected in 1485, was of this family ; aud his grandson, Lorenzo 

 Cybo, married, about 1520, Ricciardi Malaspina, heiress of the princely 

 fiefs of Massa and Carrara. His son, Alberico Cybo Malaspina, after 

 the death of his parents, became lord of Massa and marquis of Carrara 

 in 1553, and his titles were confirmed by a diploma of the Emperor 

 Maximilian, dated August 1568. Alberico is still remembered both 

 at Massa aud at Carrara as a wise and beneficent prince. He died at a 

 very advanced age in 1623, and was succeeded by his grandson Charles, 

 who, dying in ltio'2, was succeeded by his son Alberico II. Aberico II. 

 obtained of the emperor Leopold I. the title of principality for his 

 marquisata of Carrara, and he and his successors were thenceforth 

 styled dukes of Massa and princes of Carrara. Alberico II. died ia 

 1690, and was succeeded by his son Charles II. Alberico III., Charles's 

 son, succeeded his father in 1710, and received the investiture of Massa 

 and Carrara by a diploma of the Emperor Charles VI. Alberico III. 

 died childless in 1715, aud was succeeded by his younger brother 

 Alderano, who died in 1731, leaving three daughters, the eldest of 

 whom, named Maria Theresa, married Ercole Rinaldo of Este, prince 

 of Modeua, in 1741, having obtained for herself from the empsror 

 Francis I. the investiture of her maternal inheritance. Maria Theresa 

 died in 1790, before her husband, and was succeeded in her dominions 

 of Massa and Carrara by her only child, Maria Beatrice, who remained 

 after the death of her father the heiress of the two houses of Este 

 aud Cybo Malaspina. She had married, in 1771, the Archduke Ferdi- 

 nand of Austria, by whom she had the late duke Francis IV. of 

 Modena and other children. Maria Beatrice continued to administer 

 her principalities of Massa and Carrara till the French revolutionary 

 invasion. [BACIOCOHL] The treaty of Vienna of 1815 restored Maria 

 Beatrice to her dominions of Massa and Carrara. Maria Beatrice died 

 in 1829, and her dominions reverted to her son, Francis IV. of Modena, 

 who assumed tho title of Duke of Massa and Carrara, and who was 

 succeeded in January 1846 by his son, Francis V., the present dtik-j. 

 (Repetti, Dizionario Geoyrafico Storico delta. Toscana, art. 'Massa;' 

 Viani, ilemorie Storithe della Famiglla C'ybd.) 



CYPRIANUS, ST., THA'SCIUS C^CI'LIUS, one of tho most 

 eloquent of the Latin fathers, was archbishop of Carthage towards the 

 middle of the third century. The facts and dates relating to the early 

 portion of his life are stated by different writers with a variation which 

 occasions uncertainty. He was probably born about A.D. 200, at 

 Carthage, where, before Ills conversion to Christianity, he acquired 

 considerable affluence as a teacher of oratory, then so indispensable to 

 success in all public affairs. His career as a Christian appears not 

 to have exceeded ten or twelve years ; for it was not until about the 

 fiftieth year of his age that he was gained over to the church of 

 Carthago by Ctccilius, a presbyter, whose name he henceforth adopted. 

 On his conversion, he sold his mansion and estate for the benefit of 

 the poor, and observed, hi his mode of life, the most ascetic severity. 

 It is stated however that, from some unexplained circumstance, he 

 afterwards became ^repossessed of his property. Having held for two 

 years the office of presbyter, to which ho was elected on his joining 

 the Christian community, he was importuned by the people to become 

 their bishop, in opposition to several other presbyters who sought the 

 promotion, and he is said to have been shut up in his house by 

 the assembled populace, who barricaded all the outlets to prevent his 

 escape, which in vain he attempted to make at an upper window. 

 He was consequently installed archbishop of Carthage, but the perse- 

 cution under the Emperor Decius having soon afterwards commenced, 

 Cyprian fled, and so closely concealed himself during about a year aud 

 a half, that the place of his retreat appears never to have been known. 

 This flight and long desertion of his flock occasioned much scandal 



