BARON CUVIER. 77 



work has served as the basis for subsequent zoologi- 

 cal classification. Cuvier studied minutely the 

 interior structure of animals, and based his classi- 

 fication on this, instead of exterior resemblance. 



After this great work was published, Cuvier 

 went with his family to London, for a rest of six 

 weeks. Here he received distinguished attention 

 from Sir William Herschel, and other learned men. 



In 1819, he was appointed President of the Com- 

 mittee of the Interior, and in this position, which 

 he held for life, it is believed ten thousand various 

 matters passed through his hands each year, for 

 his examination and decision. He officiated at the 

 crowning of Charles X., as one of the presidents of 

 the Council of State, and received from that mon- 

 arch the decoration of Grand Officer of the Legion 

 of Honor. His former sovereign, the King of 

 Wiirtemberg, appointed him Commander of the 

 Order of the Crown. 



All this time in which he was doing earnest and 

 responsible work for his country, he was writing 

 and lecturing almost constantly. So careful was 

 he of his time, that he always read or wrote as he 

 was riding in his carriage through the streets of 

 Paris. A lamp in the back of his carriage he used 

 at night, till he found that he was injuring his 

 eyes. Even while he was sitting for a portrait, 

 to be used as a frontispiece for his book, "Dis- 

 course on the Eevolutions of the Globe," his wife's 

 daughter read to him the " Fortunes of Nigel." In 

 the evenings, when he was too tired for scientific 



