BARON CUVIER. 73 



riod till his death. In these " Analyses des Parties Phy- 

 siques des Travaux de T Academic des Sciences," we see 

 the universality of his genius and acquirements ; and, like 

 almost all his other undertakings, we may consider this mass 

 of reports, and the qualifications necessary for the making of 

 them, as alone sufficient for the employment of a life. They 

 comprehend, first. Meteorology and Natural Philosophy in 

 general ; secondly, Chemistry and Physics, properly so call- 

 ed, and when the explanation of the facts did not demand 

 calculation ; thirdly. Mineralogy and Geology ; fourthly, 

 Vegetable Physiology and Botany ; fifthly. Anatomy and 

 Physiology ; sixthly. Zoology ; seventhly. Travels which 

 were connected with the advancement of natural sciences : 

 eighthly, Medicine and Surgery ; ninthly, the Veterinary 

 Art ; and tenthly, Agriculture. From these analyses a just 

 idea may be formed of most of the principal discoveries 

 jnade in all these branches of science daring the time of 

 M. Cuvier ; for not only did the members and appointed 

 correspondents of the Institute feel it a duty to communicate 

 their endeavours to this body, but many strangers felt a lau- 

 dable pride in submitting their efforts to those who would 

 be likely to appreciate them. All is described by M. Cuvier 

 in his usually clear and forcible language, " frequently sur- 

 prising even the author himself by the lucidity with which 

 his own ideas and experiments are set forth, and sometimes 

 creating in him new or different views of the subject which 

 had long occupied his thoughts."* The same fearlessness 

 of rendering justice marked these reports, as well as the 

 other productions of the w^riter ; and from their impartiality, 

 their truth, and beautiful unity, they might have been sup- 

 posed rather to have related to times long past, than to have 

 been a record of the labours of contemporaries. Not a 

 word of his own opinions or feelings escapes him ; he men- 

 tions his own works with the most perfect modesty and 

 simplicity, and scru[)ulously states, with invariable fidelity, 

 every argument brought forward, even against his own 

 views and sentiments. 



Besides these annual reports, M. Cuvier was charged by 

 the Emperor with a new task, which he thus announces in 



* Dr. Duvernoy. 

 G 



