I80 HEROES OF SCIENCE. 



he remained until he was fourteen. Cuvier made 

 rapid progress at this school, and he was constantly 

 at the head of his classes, and he became a fair 

 classic. It was at that time that the future great 

 zoologist began to like natural history, and he 

 began by studying animals. One of his relations 

 had a complete copy of Buffon's works, and the 

 boy's study of it was constant. He copied the plates 

 of animals and birds, and coloured them according 

 to the printed descriptions, and when he could not 

 use water-colours, employed pieces of coloured silk 

 to denote the tints of the wings. When he was able 

 to borrow the book, a volume was his constant 

 attendant, and he read the work over and over 

 again. About this time, Cuvier, being the leading 

 spirit in the school, began to collect his school- 

 fellows and to get them to discuss the merits of 

 books on natural history, philosophy, and travels, 

 etc., taking the chair as president. The assembly 

 must have been amusing in the extreme, and these 

 little "prigs" doubtless expressed their opinions 

 very decidedly. Cuvier managed to teach himself 

 to speak in public, however, and was not. a bad 

 hand at declamation. So, on the anniversary 

 f^te of the Duke of Wurtemberg, he composed an 

 oration in verse on the prosperous state of the 

 principality, and delivered it, fresh from his pen, 

 in a manly tone which astonished the audience. 

 Nevertheless, Cuvier was snubbed by his master, 

 who put him down to the third place, giving the 

 palm to two other boys. It is said that there was 



