BARON CUVIER. 41 



he could not conscientiously accept, he declined 

 the honour. 



In 1819 M. Cuvier was appointed President 

 of the Comite de I'lnterieur, belonging to the 

 Council of State, an office which he held under 

 all changes of ministry ; because, notwithstand- 

 ing its importance, it is beyond the reach of po- 

 litical intrigue, and only demands order, inire- 

 mitting activity, strict impartiality, and an exact 

 knowledge of the laws and principles of admi- 

 nistration. In this same year, Louis XVIII., 

 as a mark of personal esteem, created him a 

 Baron*, and repeatedly summoned him to assist 

 in the cabinet councils. 



Twice had M. Cuvier held the office of Grand 

 Master of the University, when the place could 

 not conveniently be filled up, but he never re- 

 ceived the emoluments of it; and, in 1822, when 

 a Catholic bishop was raised to this dignity, he 

 accepted the Grand Mastership of the Faculties 

 of Protestant Theology ; on assuming which, he 

 made conditions, that he should not receive any 



* A week after M. Cuvier received this title he went to 

 the theatre, and in the course of the evening one of the 

 actors exclaimed, in his part, " and for all these services, the 

 King has only created him a Baron." The audience gaily 

 applied the sentence to M. Cuvier, who was as much 

 amused as any of them at the coincidence. 



