BARON CUVIER. 99 



ciples to which his meditations had given birth, or to deve- 

 lope some useful and important truth. He forgot his years 

 and his weakness when he could be useful to young people, 

 or when he performed his duties. When made a senator, 

 one of his colleagues offered to help him, by giving lectures 

 for him. " My friend," he answered, " I cannot be better 

 replaced than by you, and when age forces me to resign my 

 duties, be sure that I shall burthen you with them ;" he was 

 {hen eighty-three. When thus appointed, he tried to fill his 

 new station as he had done all others ; but in order to do 

 this he was obliged to change his manner of living, the 

 regularity of which had, perhaps, contributed to its long con- 

 tinuance. The season was very severe ; and the first time 

 he assisted at the meetings of the body to which he was just 

 elected, he was struck with apoplexy, and fell senseless into 

 the arms of his colleagues. The promptest aid could only 

 restore him to life for a few minutes, during which he 

 evinced that desire calmly to watch the operations of nature 

 which had hitherto marked his character. He touched the 

 different p arts of his body which were affected, pointed out 

 the progress of the paralysis to his attendants, and expired at 

 the age of eighty-four, without suffering ; so that it may be 

 said of him, that he attained, if not the most brilliant, the 

 most perfect happiness for Avhich man is permitted to hope. 

 Although confining myself to the principal features of 

 the above eloge, I have dwelt on it much longer than will 

 be advisable for the others. Two reasons have induced 

 this ; and the first is, the circumstance of its being one of 

 the earliest of M. Cuvier's productions which was read in 

 presence of the Emperor, on whom it made a great im- 

 pression. The natural style in which it was written, the 

 natural tone in which it was read, amid the reigning affec- 

 tation, produced the happiest effect ; and it was of this 



that M. D , celebrated for his apt remarks, observed, 



'• At last we have a secretary who knows how to read 

 and write.'' The second reason is, that it may be offered 

 as a proof of the innate excellence of M. Cuvier's judg- 

 ment ; it is not the work of a man whose reason was ma- 

 tured by long years of study, whose feelings have been 

 rendered impartial by age ; but it was written when the 

 fire of youth is generally apt to be dazzled by some fa- 



