26 MEMOIR OF 



has even diffused a charm over his descriptions, 

 whenever the beauties, which have heen imparted 

 to them in so high a degree, permitted their heing 

 presented to the admiration of naturalists. " And 

 in fact," says Cuvier, " what can afford a greater 

 subject of admiration, than those brilliant colours 

 that glare of gold, steel, ruby, and emerald, profusely 

 poured upon beings which man scarcely ever na- 

 turally meets with, and which are almost never 

 seen in the obscure paths they frequent. Even 

 at the present day (in 1826), there is no work on 

 the history of fishes superior to Lacepede's, and he 

 is always quoted on the subject : when the immense 

 materials collected in these latter days shall have been 

 put together in another work, the brilliant pieces of 

 colouring, full of sensibilty and deep philosophy, 

 with which he has enriched his Work, will not be 

 forgotten. Science, from its nature, is every hour 

 advancing ; but the great writers will not remain 

 the less immortal." 



The Natural History of Fishes was followed, in 

 1804, by that of the Cetacea, which terminates the 

 great system of vertebrate animals. M. de Lace- 

 pede considered it as the most perfect of his Works ; 

 and in fact, he treated the historical and descriptive 

 part, that referring to the organization and metho- 

 dical characters, better than any one had done before 

 him. His style also rises in some manner in propor- 

 tion to the grandeur of his subject. He augments, 

 by about a third, the number of the species. " This 

 author/' says Mr. Scorseby, " has published the most 



