BAEON CUVIER. 73 



and Cuvier was associated with his friends De 

 Lac^pede and Daubenton, in the section of zoology, 

 holding the position of Secretary of Natural Sci- 

 ences till his death. 



Four years later, in 1800, the first two volumes 

 of his " Lessons in Comparative Anatomy " were 

 published, and met with great success. The last 

 three volumes were issued five years later. 



In this year, 1800, Cuvier received another honor, 

 that of the professorship of Natural Philosophy 

 in the College de France. He was now but thirty- 

 one. The following year, Napoleon I., who was 

 usually wise in his selection of men, appointed 

 him one of the six inspectors-general of education, 

 to establish public schools in thirty towns of 

 France. 



Every moment now seemed occupied, and yet 

 while the brain was busy perchance the heart was 

 lonely. The father had died two years after the 

 mother. The wife of his brother Frederic had 

 died, also, and the two brothers were left alone. 

 At thirty-four, Cuvier decided to take into his 

 heart and home the widow of M. Duvaucel, Fer- 

 mier-General, who had perished on the scaffold in 

 1794. The family had lost all their money in the 

 French Revolution, and Madame Duvaucel had 

 four large children to be supported ; but Cuvier 

 loved her for her rare mind and sweet disposition, 

 and she blessed the remaining years of his life. 

 An educated man needs companionship in mind; 

 not simply a housekeeper. 



