BARON CUVIER. 171 



upon his recollection by the sight of an English caricature. 

 During the fortnight he was in London, he was in inces- 

 sant motion ; but his anxiety respecting public events em- 

 bittered all his enjoyment. An accidental circumstance de- 

 layed one of Madame Cuvier's daily epistles, and he scarcely 

 rested during these hours of expectation. One morning, 

 however, he flew into the room where Mademoiselle Duvau- 

 cel was with me, preparing to go out, entered without the 

 shghtest ceremony, embraced us both, and exclaimed, '• I 

 have heard from my wife ; " then, reading the letter, he 

 asked us if we were not as happy as himself; and taking 

 an affectionate leave, as if his heart was quite full, he 

 hastened to an appointment at the British Museum. He 

 made a great many notes, and several drawings, while 

 here, relative to his Fossil Remains and Ichthyolog}^, but 

 contrived a few hours for visiting. The enlightened and 

 amiable Baron Seguier, the Consul-General of France, was 

 then living, and the little party assembled several times at 

 his house, where the events then taking place in their owti 

 country were constantly discussed, and where these able 

 men predicted much of that which has since occurred. M, 

 Cuvier went to Richmond also, of which he had so fre- 

 quentl}^ heard in terms of praise : the day was rather stormy, 

 but with intervals of brightness, which added to the effect 

 of the scene ; and he observed, that he could not wonder, 

 when he saw such a sky over such a country, at the per- 

 fection to which the English had carried their landscapes 

 in waiter colours. He had intended re-visiting Oxford, and 

 seeing Cambridge, with the latter of which he was only ac- 

 quainted by report ; but the curtailed period of his stay did 

 not permit him to enjoy these pleasures. Never, however, 

 did any one profit more entirely by every hour than he did. 

 Accustomed to consider his insatiable desire to see and know 

 every thing as a virtue, he left no means untried to satisfy 

 his curiosity ; he rose at six, visited on foot various parts 

 of London, which he had never before seen, then returning 

 to breakfast, he entered his carriage with his companion, 

 and went to the Parks, the exhibitions, collections, *fec. He 

 was every where pleased with the reception he met with, 

 though it was a matter of regret to the English that so few 

 persons chanced to be in tlic metropolis to do bim honour. 



