BARON CUVIER. 55 



beings of the present and former world, had 

 penetrated into the organisation of political 

 bodies, and perfectly appreciated their springs 

 of action, their strength, and their weaknesses. 

 Thus gifted, thus instructed, M. Cuvier un- 

 consciously became a central point, round which 

 the scientific and learned of every class sooner 

 or later rallied. He was the kind and equitable 

 oracle of savans of all countries ; for, wholly di- 

 vested of national prejudices, and delighting to 

 dwell on that which was noble in all mankind, 

 he was never, for an instant, obscured by party 

 spirit, and was wholly unconscious of that su- 

 percilious feeling of superiority, which is so 

 hurtful to tlie progress of its possessor, and also 

 to the progress of others. 



The earliest of M. Cuvier's scientific labours 

 were directed towards Entomology, and in them 

 we behold the dawning efforts of his genius, 

 the foundation of that minute and detailed ob- 

 servation which so particularly distinguished all 

 his researches, and of which I am about to give 

 rather a lengthened description, in order to 

 show that he commenced the task before him 

 in a way that necessarily led to the perfection 

 he afterwards attained. He has been heard 

 to observe, that the wonderful things he met 



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