154 MEMOIRS OF 



bas-relief, taken from the bust, of course possesses the sam . 

 faults. Mr. Pickersgill's portrait is decidedly the most pei 

 feet of all : it is there possible to form a correct notion c ; 

 the sharply-defined features ; the eyes that so well spok 

 the serious and great thoughts within, that rose above thi 

 world ; the mouth, and the carriage of the head. To us 

 Mr. Pickersgill's own words, he tried " to catch the essenc 

 of the man," and his skill has proved adequate to the grer 

 task before him.* 



That love of order which so prevailed in great things 

 was, by M. Cuvier carried even into the minutiee of lift 

 His dissecting dress, it is true, was not of brilliant appear 

 ance, but it was adapted to the occasion ; in this he woul 

 frequently walk about early in the summer mornings, in th 

 open air, or pace up and down the galleries of anatomy, bu 

 on all other occasions his toilette was adjusted with care 

 he himself designed the patterns for the embroidery of hi 

 Court and Institute coats, invented all the costumes of th 

 University, and drew the model for the uniform of the coun 

 cil, which drawing accompanied the decree by which it wa 

 established. I was very anxious to see him in his Univer 

 sity robes, and having mentioned my wish, he ca me into th 



mortal remains of the great original were laid till they were removed fo 

 ever. 



* I cannot quit this subject entirely, without placing Mr. Pickersgill ii 

 a still more admirable light than in his profession of artist. Feeling th 

 value of the above-mentioned portrait, after she had lost her noble hus 

 band, Madame Cuvier was naturally desirous of possessing a copy of it 

 from the hands which had so well known how to execute the first. I wa 

 requested to negociate concerning the possibility of sacrifice of time, price 

 &c. ; and the result was, that Mr. Pickersgill himself made the wished-fo 

 copy, which was not inferior to the previous likeness, and presented it ti 

 the Baroness, saying, that his services could be no affair of money betweei 

 him and the widow of the great Cuvier. The sad delight with which thi 

 survivors accepted this generous gift was the highesfreward which the do 

 nor could receive, and is best pourtrayed by their own expressions to me 

 " C'est lui ; c'est sa pense'e, noble, pure, e'leve'e, et souvent me"lancolique 

 quoique toujours bienveillante et calme, comme la vraie bcnte". C'est sot 

 ame dans ses yeux. C'est le grand homme passant sur la terre, et sa- 

 chant qu'il y a quelque chose au-dela." (" It is he ; it is his noble, pure 

 elevated mind, often melancholy, though always benevolent and calm, lik< 

 real goodness. It is his soul in his eyes. It is the great man passing ove: 

 this earth, and knowing there is something beyond.") I may be forgive: 

 for relating these anecdotes of the private feelings of the living, when it i: 

 considered how refreshing and useful it is to meet with such actions in this 

 world of self-interest. 



