MEMOIR OF CUVIE-R. 17 



times delayed ; but the general tranquility in Paris ap- 

 peared so perfect, that it was at last given, and his pas- 

 ports signed. So much was the foresight of the statesman 

 this time at fault, that the revolution commenced in the capital 

 before he had been five hours absent. His anxiety for the 

 affairs of his own country, however, prevented a long 

 visit ; and he returned again to Paris, having been only a 

 fortnight in England ; "and, to the happiness of those 

 around him, M. Cuvier, found himself, even under the 

 government of the Citizen-King, in possession of all 

 his honors, his dignities, and his important functions." 



Even new honors awaited him ; for, by the order 

 of Louis Philippe, he was created a peer of France ; but 

 thgy did not diminish the intensity of his labors, and two 

 volumes of his great work on Comparative Anatomy are 

 said to have been now prepared for the press. On the 

 8th of May, 1832, he again opened the College of 

 France, and gave his third coarse upon the history of the 

 Natural Sciences. His concluding lecture in this course 

 impressed every one who heard him. It was a farewell 

 to his pupils it was the last which he was spared to de- 

 liver as a public teacher. " He displayed," says his elo- 

 quent eulogist, " a calmness and justness of perception, 

 combined with a depth and seriousness of thought, which 

 led his auditors to think of that book which speaks of the 

 creation of all mankind. This was the result of his ideas 

 rather than his expressions ; for every thing, in the free ex- 

 position which he made, breathed the feeling of the omni- 

 potence of a supreme .cause, and of an infinite wisdom. 

 He seemed, as it were, by the examination of the visible 

 world, to be led to the precincts of that which is invisible, 

 and the examination of the creature evoked the Creator. 

 At last these words fell from him, in which it is easy to 

 see a presentiment : " Such, gentlemen, will be the objects 

 of our investigation, if time, my own strength, and the 

 state of my health, permit me to continue and finish 



