28 MEMOIRS OF 



caused himself to be appointed president of the 

 Institute, and, in consequence, held direct com- 

 munication with M. Cuvier. In 1802 he ap- 

 pointed him one of the six inspectors-general 

 ordered to establish Lyc6es* in thirty towns of 

 France. In this capacity M. Cuvier founded 

 those of Marseilles, Nice, and Bordeaux, which 

 are now called royal colleges ; and while thus 

 employed at Marseilles, he profited by the op- 

 portunity so afforded him of continuing his 

 studies on marine animals. During his absence 

 from Paris, the Institute underwent a change 

 of form, and its secretaryships were made 

 perpetual, t M. Cuvier was elected to that 

 of natural sciences, which he held with ho- 

 nour to the day of his death. On this ap- 



* Lycees are public schools, under the management and 

 direction of the government. The pupils who frequent 

 them pay a small sum, which sum is appropriated to the use 

 of the school. The professors receive their salaries from the 

 government, which reserves to itself a right to nominate a 

 certain number of pupils entirely gratis. The private 

 schools are always established near one of these Lycees, as 

 the pupils of these are obliged to attend there for a certain 

 number of hours every day. 



f Napoleon fixed the salary of the perpetual secretaries of 

 the Institute at 6000 francs ; and on its being observed to 

 him that it was too much, he replied, " The perpetual 

 secretary must be enabled to receive at dinner all the 

 learned foreigners who visit the capital." 



