BARON CUVIER. 



I'N" the town of Montbeliard, France, then belong- 

 ing to the Duke of AViirtemberg, August 23, 

 1769, was born the founder of the Science of Com- 

 parative Anatomy ; the greatest naturalist of his 

 time, Georges Leopold Chretien Frederic Dagobert 

 Cuvier. His father was a brave officer in a Swiss 

 regiment, who at fifty married a young lady of 

 unusual ability. Their first son died, and the 

 second, Georges, was so feeble in constitution that 

 his life was saved only by the tenderest care of 

 his mother. 



For this mother the boy cherished the most 

 ardent affection. While she lived, there was noth- 

 ing left undone that a loving nature could do for 

 her. When she died, everything connected with 

 her memory became sacred. When Cuvier had be- 

 come honored by kings and nobles, when the great 

 from all the world delighted to bring him offer- 

 ings, nothing so touched his heart as the gift of a 

 bouquet of red stocks, her favorite flower. Per- 

 chance the benignity that came into his face in 

 later years was the result of these sweet remem- 

 brances. 



She taught him to read at four, and, though igno- 



