BARON CUVIER. 79 



books, as though he must use every moment, or be 

 prostrated with grief. This same year, 1828, the 

 first book in a series of twenty volumes, beautifully 

 illustrated, appeared, on the "Natural History of 

 Fishes, containing more than five thousand species 

 of those animals, described after nature, and dis- 

 tributed according to their affinities, with obser- 

 vations on their anatomy, and critical researches 

 on their nomenclature, ancient as well as modern." 



In 1832, he was created a Peer of France, by 

 Louis Philippe. Every honor had come that could 

 be asked or desired. His books were eagerly read ; 

 crowds attended his lectures ; he was loved, hon- 

 ored, and revered ; but death had robbed him of 

 the sweetest things in life. 



On Tuesday, May 8, 1832, he lectured as usual 

 before the College de France, on the " History and 

 Progress of Science in all Ages." In the evening 

 he felt a numbness in his right arm. It was the 

 beginning of the end. Paralysis soon developed. 



He said to M. Pasquier, President of the Cham- 

 ber of Peers, " Behold a very different person to 

 the man of Tuesday of Saturday. Nevertheless, 

 I had great things still to do. All was ready in 

 my head ; after thirty years of labor and research, 

 there remained but to write ; and now the hands 

 fail, and carry with them the head." 



M. Pasquier tenderly expressed the universal 

 interest felt for M. Cuvier. "I like to think 

 so," said the dying man ; " I have long labored 

 to render myself worthy of it." He is to be 



