CUVIER. I8l 



some favouritism in this affair ; but it was a blow 

 to the boy, whose future career depended on the 

 place he might take at the school on the occasion. 

 Nevertheless, as things turned out, Cuvier had 

 every reason to be very thankful. The fame of 

 the young student, and his disappointment, reached 

 the ears of Duke Charles by means of the princess, 

 his sister-in-law, and when he visited Montbeliard 

 he saw Cuvier, and asked him questions and looked 

 at his drawings. The duke, satisfied that he had 

 a good subject before him, agreed to send him 

 to Stuttgard to the university, where the youth 

 would be well educated, free of expense, in the 

 duke's own academy. At this academy the pupils 

 were instructed in every branch of knowledge that 

 was actually useful to men destined to govern and 

 direct the affairs of communities, and m.any who 

 were educated there, became members of the 

 various courts of Germany and Russia. The 

 school had a military character, the scholars wear- 

 ing uniforms and being under the orders of a 

 colonel and major ; but the education was not mili- 

 tary, and such men as Schiller were taught there. 



At the age of fourteen Cuvier quitted his home to 

 go to this school, and under circumstances enough 

 to frighten any school-boy. He travelled with the 

 chamberlain and secretary of the duke, sitting be- 

 tween them without understanding a word they said, 

 as they spoke German the whole time. He always 

 remembered this journey and its miseries. The 

 youth quickly made himself comfortable at the 



