148 MEMOIRS OP 



ter, which took place after his death, was one of the objects 

 of M. Cuvier's second journey to this country ; and he fre- 

 quently passed hours in the British Gallery, where they had 

 at that time been collected. He had personally known many 

 of those represented by this life-giving painter ; he felt, as he 

 contemplated them, as if he were again in their presence, 

 and related a thousand anecdotes, which he was delighted 

 to recall. 



There was yet another talent of M. Cuvier's, which 

 manifested itself in his earliest youth, and which, though 

 trifling in extent, was a further proof of his facility for re- 

 taining a recollection of form. It was the power of cutting 

 out, in pasteboard or paper, whatever object had excited his 

 attention ; and a remarkable proof, not only of his dexterity, 

 but of his quick perception, occurred when he was about 

 six years of age. A mountebank passed through the village, 

 who played various slight-of-hand tricks, and was called in 

 by M. Cuvier's uncle to amuse the children assembled at his 

 house. A " fontaine de Heron,"* which ran and stopped at 

 his bidding, a poniard which he apparently plunged into his 

 arm and drew out again, dripping with blood, amused and 

 astonished the spectators of all ages who happened to be 

 present : but George Cuvier examined every thing with 

 deep attention, and evinced little or no surprise ; for he ex- 

 plained the manner in which the fountain played, and the 

 mechanism of the poniard, accompanying his explanations 

 by cutting the whole out in paper. 



But I must beg my readers once more to go back to 

 Stuttgardt, where M. Cuvier obtained honours which were 

 conferred only on the chosen few, and those few much older 

 than himself. His first examination at that university had 

 something remarkable in it, considering that he was then 

 but fourteen. The committee deputed to assign him his 

 place, reported of him as follows : 



"The young Cuvier has shown, 1st, just notions of 

 Christianity, well adapted to his years. 2dly, A good 

 knowledge of general history and geography. 3dly, Solid 

 notions of logic, arithmetic, and geometry. 4thly, Consider- 



* So called by the French, because it was invented by Hero, of Alex- 

 andria, who lived 120 years before Christ, Us English name, I believe, 

 is "a fountain of circulation." 



