BARON CUVIER. 167 



A ? ho had lately been occupying himself with the chemical 

 pi jxperiments of M. Gay-Lussac) objected to the general tone 

 )f the picture, which, he said, looked as if lighted up with 

 modern gas ; M. de Prony (one of the mathematical pro- 

 fessors of the Ecole Poly technique, and also director of the 

 Ecole des Ponts et Chaussees*) found fault with the plinth 

 of the statue ; and many gave their opinion in the like 

 manner, each pointing out the faults that had struck him in 

 this celebrated performance ; after which, M. Cuvier said 

 that the thumb of Pygmalion was not properly drawn, and 

 would require an additional joint to those given by nature, 

 for it to appear in the position selected by the painter. Upon 

 this, M. Biot (the mathematician and natural philosopher, 

 who had remained silent all the lime.) with mock solemni- 

 ty summed up the whole, showing that every body had been 

 more or less influenced by his peculiar vocation, or favourite 

 pursuit ; and concluded by saying, that he had no doubt 

 but that every one of them, if they met Girodet the next 

 day, would congratulate him on the perfect picture he had 

 produced. On these evenings, one or two old, or particularly 

 cherished friends would remain, talking after the rest had 

 taken their departure: the hours passed, the clock would 

 strike two before the little coterie thought of separating; and 

 even then M. Cuvier would say, " Nay. gentlemen, do not 

 be in such a hurry, it is quite early." 



But I am now speaking of that period which preceded the 

 death of the angel Clementine, so named after the dear and 

 excellent mother, who had so well guided the earliest youth 

 of her father. This pure creature was so good herself, that 

 he never suspected evil in others, and was the light of 

 :very body's existence in this hallowed circle. Her likeness 

 x> M. Cuvier was very striking ; and though her eyes and 

 hair were of a darker and different shade, his every feature 

 could be traced in her countenance, softened into feminine 

 jeauty. Her talents, her acquirements, her modest opinion 

 of herself, her sound judgment, her active charity, her ex- 

 :reme piety, seemed to mark her as a being who could not 

 ong remain in this world of sin : she died of rapid con- 

 sumption, which disease, though probably, long engendered 



* A school resembling thow for our civil engineers. 



