154 MEMOIRS OF 



bas-relief, taken from the bust, of course possesses the same 

 faults. Mr. Pickersgill's portrait is decidedly the most per- 

 fect of all : it is there possible to form a correct notion of 

 the sharply-defined features ; the eyes that so well spvke 

 the serious and great thoughts within, that rose above this 

 world ; the mouth, and the carriage of the head. To use 

 Mr. Pickersgill's own words, he tried " to catch the essence 

 of the man," and his skill has proved adequate to the great 

 task before him.* 



That love of order which so prevailed in great things, 

 was, by M. Cuvier carried even into the minutice of life. 

 His dissecting dress, it is true, was not of brilhant appear- 

 ance, but it was adapted to the occasion ; in this he would 

 frequently walk about early in the summer mornings, in the 

 open air, or pace up and down the galleries of anatomy, but 

 on all other occasions his toilette was adjusted with care ; 

 he himself designed the patterns for the embroidery of his 

 Court and Institute coats, invented all the costumes of the 

 University, and drew the model for the uniform of the coun- 

 cil, which drawing accompanied the decree by which it was 

 established. I w^as very anxious to gee him in his Univer- 

 sity robes, and having mentioned my wish, he ca me into the 



mottal i-emains of the great original were laid till they were removed for 

 ever. 



* I cannot quit this subject entirely, without placing Mr. Pickersgill in 

 a still more admirable light than in his profession of artist. Feeling the 

 value of the above-mentioned portrait, after she had lost her noble hus- 

 band, Madame Cuvier was naturally desirous of possessing a copy of it, 

 from the hands which had so well known how to execute the first. I was 

 requested to negociate concerning the possibility of sacrifice of time, price,. 

 &.C. ; and the result was, that Mr. Pickersgill himself made the wished-for 

 copy, which was not inferior to the previous likeness, and presented it to 

 the Baroness, saying, that his services could be no affair of money betAveen 

 him and the- widow of the great Cuvier. The sad delight with Avhich the 

 survivors accepted this generous gift was the highest reward which the do- 

 nor could receive, and is best pourtrayed by their own expressions to me ; 

 " C'est lui ; c'est sa pensee, noble, pure, elevee, et souvent m^lancolicpe, 

 quoique toujours bienveijlante et calme, comme la vraie bonte. C'est son 

 ame dans ses yeux. C'est le grand homme passant sur la terre, et sa- 

 chant qu'il y a quelque chose au-dela." (" It is he ; it is his noble, pure, 

 elevated mind, often melancholy, though always benevolent and calm, like 

 real goodness. It is his soul in his eyes. It is the great man passing over 

 this earth, and knowing there is something beyond.") I may be forgiven 

 for relating these anecdotes of the private feehngs of the living, when it is 

 considered how refreshing and useful it is to meet with such actions in this 

 world of self-interest. 



