BARON CUVIER. 91 



the intelligence. This simple village girl entered into the 

 elevated views of her master, even astonishing him by her 

 liappy suggestions, which he unhesitatingly adopted in his 

 general plan of operation. She it was who remarked the 

 difficulty that the labourers in the fields experienced, in 

 combining their agricultural employments with the care of 

 their younger children, and who thought of collecting to- 

 gether, even infants of the earliest age in spacious halls, 

 where, during the absence of their parents, some intelligent 

 instructresses should take care of, amuse, teach them their 

 letters, and exercise them in employments adapted to their 

 ages. From this institution of Louise Scheppler arose the in- 

 fant schools of England and France, where the children 

 of the working classes, who would otherwise be exposed to 

 accidents and vicious examples, are watched over, instruct- 

 ed, and protected. The honour of an idea which has pro- 

 duced such beautiful results is solely due to this poor 

 peasant of Ban de la Roche ; to this she consecrated all 

 her worldly means, and, what are of more value, her youth 

 and her health. Even now, though advanced in years, 

 she, without receiving the smallest compensation, assem- 

 bles a hundred children round her, from three to seven 

 years of age, and instructs them according to their capaci- 

 ties. The adults, thanks to M. Oberhn, have no further 

 moral wants ; but there are yet some, who in sickness or 

 old age have need of physicial aid. Louise Scheppler 

 watches over them, carries them broth, medicine, in short, 

 every thing, not forgetting pecuniary succour. She has 

 founded and regulated a sort of Mont de Piete,* of a pe- 

 culiar kind, which would be an admirable institution else- 

 where, if it could be multiplied like the infant schools ; for 

 it is among the very small number of those which merit 

 the name given to them, for money is there lent without 

 interest and w^ithout securities. When M. Oberhn died, hej 

 by will, left Louise Scheppler to his children ; the simple 

 words of a dying master may be heard with interest, and 

 will be more eloquent than any thing we can add : — ' 1 



* The Mont de Pi^te of Paris, managed by a company of indiriduals^ 

 was first established on the same principle as that of Louise Scheppler. 

 but is now the general estabhshment for pawning, to which all the minoj. 

 pawnbrokers of that city belong. 



