PAR T I V , 



In the first part of this volume, I have by a narrative of 

 the principal events of the Baron Cuviers hfe. endeavour^ 

 ed to show his progress towards fame and honour, and to 

 expose the circumstances which tended to the perfection of 

 one of Nature's noblest productions. In the second, I 

 have, notwithstanding the difficulties of such a task, and 

 a strong feeling of my ow^n weakness, tried to give an out- 

 line of M. Cuvier's principal works, of his most important 

 discoveries, and the immense advantages that science has 

 derived from each. In the third, I have studied to lay 

 before the reader all the good he effected, and all the evil he 

 prevented during his administrative career ; and, by so do- 

 ing, I have set forth all his titles to the grateful admiration 

 of mankind. I am now about to attempt a more particu- 

 lar description of the character, the private virtues, and do- 

 mestic habits of the great man, whom I have so often ad- 

 mired in the midst of his family, surrounded by friends, 

 and performing the honours of his house to a numerou? 

 circle, composed of men of all countries and professions. 

 But before I enter into these details, I feel called on to refute, 

 by a reference to known facts, those accusations which 

 have but too often been brought against him. Men rarely 

 pardon superiority, even when (as in M. Cuvier) it is ex- 

 empt from all kinds of vanity ; still more rarely do they 

 pardon those acquisitions of rank and fortune which ne- 

 cessarily result from this superiority ; and the great number 

 of places held by M. Cuvier, caused him to be accused of an 

 ambition for power, by those who reckoned his employ- 

 ments, without reckoning his merits, or without recognizing 

 how useful his talents were to France. 



In order to set aside this unjust charge, it will be suffi- 

 cient, here, to recall some of the occurrences scattered 

 through these pages ; and which lead me to affirm, that, 

 so far from having sought or solicited places, he nobly re- 



