MEMOIR OF CUVIER. 



We mentioned in our sketch, that Cuvier, whilst at 

 Montbeliard, formed a society of his young companions, to 

 discuss various subjects in literature and the arts. Among 

 his fellow- co-operators in this association were men who 

 have risen to eminence in the departments which they fol- 

 lowed; and, among others, M. Duvernoy mentions Iff. Mnr- 

 schall de Bieberstein (the companion of his botanical re- 

 searches mentioned by Professor Kerner), known by his 

 botanical works, and now Minister of State to the Duke of 

 Nassau ; M. Autenrieth, Chancellor of the University of 

 Tubingen, and celebrated for his works on physiology ; M. 

 Pfaff, Counsellor of State to the King of Denmark, Profes- 

 sor in the University of Kiel ; M. Jseger, physician to the 

 King of Wurtemberg ; and M. Hartman, a physician, known 

 in entomology, for whose correction and advice Cuvier sub- 

 mitted many of his earlier papers in this department. 



Cuvier kept a regular journal, in which he entered what- 

 ever occurred that was worthy of notice, and often accom- 

 panied his description with a drawing. This he called his 

 Diarum. His Diarum Zoologicum primum is dated Stut- 

 gard, 15th October 1786. The great clearness and facility 

 with which he gained the knowledge of any subject, will be 

 illustrated by an anecdote which occurred during his resi- 

 dence at Stutgard. The Professor of Technology took his 

 pupils to see a pin manufactory, and, upon returning from 

 the examination of this establishment,. Cuvier represented, 

 by correct diagrams, every thing which he had seen, and 

 all the details of the manufacture of this article. 



We have seen that Cuvier, by the solicitation of the na- 

 turalists of the capital, was at last induced to visit Paris, 

 and in a very short while after his arrival, he verified the 

 prediction of M. Geoffrey, who. in his letters often urged 

 him to leave his situation in Normandy. " Venez a Paris, 

 jouer parmi nous le role d'un autre Linne', d'un autre le- 

 gislateur de Phistoire naturelle." He was very soon looked 

 up to by the most learned ; but his ardent pursuit of science 

 seriously alarmed his friends for his health. At this time, 

 says M. Duvernoy, it was entirely deranged : he was pale 

 and thin, complained of a pain in his chest, of a dry cough, 

 and shewed all the incipient symptoms of consumption. 



