BARON CUVIER. 21 



the lowest beings in creation, that the young na- 

 turalist first distinguished himself : he examined 

 their organisation, classed them into different 

 groups, and arranged them according to their 

 natural affinities. He committed his observ- 

 ations and thoughts to paper, and, unknown to 

 himself at that time, laid the basis of that beau- 

 tiful fabric which he afterwards raised on zoo- 

 logy. He wrote concerning them, to a friend, 

 " These manuscripts are solely for my own use, 

 and, doubtless, contain nothing but what has 

 been done elsewhere, and better established by 

 the naturalists of the capital, for they have been 

 made without the aid of books or collections." 

 Nevertheless, almost every page of these pre- 

 cious manuscripts was full of new facts and en- 

 lightened views, which were superior to almost all 

 that had yet appeared. A little society met every 

 evening in the town of Valmont, near the cha- 

 teau de Fiquainville, belonging to the Count 

 d'Hericy, for the purpose of discussing agri- 

 cultural topics. M. Tessier was often present 

 at these meetings, who had fled from the reign 

 of terror in Paris, and who was concealed under 

 the title and office of surgeon to a regiment, 

 then quartered at Valmont. He spoke so well, 

 and seemed so entirely master of the subject, 



c S 



