14 MEMOIR OP CUVIER. 



School of the Pantheon. M. Daubenton, the celebrated 

 colleague of BufFon, died far advanced in years, and Cuvier 

 was nominated his successor. His time was now suffi- 

 ciently occupied ; while the emoluments arising from the 

 different offices, rendered him independent, and he sent 

 for his father and brother to reside with him. The former 

 meeting with a severe accident, was not long preserved to 

 enjoy the still rising honors of his son ; but his brother en- 

 tered at once into his feelings and pursuits, and rendered 

 him every assistance in his power. He still survives, and 

 is well known to science by his beautiful work on the 

 Mammalia. 



A short while after his appointment to the chair of Dau- 

 benton, M. Cuvier married. He chose for his partner, the 

 widow of M. Duvaucel, Fermier-General, who fell a victim 

 to the disturbances of 1794. She proved the excellency 

 of his choice, and secured to him domestic happiness, as 

 far as it was in the control of an amiable temper and dis- 

 position, while her strong mental endowments rendered 

 her a companion fitting for the mind of her husband. 



His time was now exclusively spent in conducting his 

 various researches, particularly those which related to fos- 

 sil osteology, which we shall notice when speaking of his 

 great work. The results of these researches were given in 

 memoirs to the various societies of which he was a mem- 

 ber, almost as soon as they were concluded, and, if col- 

 lected, would form a series of volumes of great extent and 

 interest. These studies were, however, again for some 

 time interrupted by the commands of the Emperor. Cuvier 

 was appointed one of the Counsellors of the Imperial Uni- 

 versity, and, as a part of the duties of this office, he was 

 ordered to superintend the establishment of Academies in 

 those parts of the Italian provinces which had been an- 

 nexed to the French empire. He was also ordered upon 

 a similar mission to Holland ; and in the year following, 

 went to Rome, to organize a University there. These em- 



