168 MEMOIRS or 



a tone of feeling, a certain play of conntenance, 

 which carried his auditors witii him in all the 

 sentiments he tried to inspire. Tliere was no- 

 tiiing in the least declamatory or theatrical, in 

 order to arrest the attention ; but his melodious 

 tones, his elegant turn of expression, and natural 

 grace of manner, gave a charm to the shortest 

 phrases. These last perfections were so much 

 the more remarkable, as emphasis was the fashion 

 in academical discourses when he commenced 

 his career, and it was like creating a new school 

 to return to nature. 



I now resume the description of the 6Ioges, 

 which form three volumes in octavo ; and, as 

 several remain which have only been published 

 for the members of the Institute, it is to be 

 hoped that, ere long, a fourth volume will be 

 added. The first contains, previous to the 

 eloges, " Reflections on the Progress of Sci- 

 ence, and its Influence on Society," read at the 

 first annual sitting of the four academies. I 

 must stop Iiere to cite a most eloquent sketch 

 from it, wliich leads us from the first helpless 

 state of man to his present powerful condition, 

 for it will give to my readers a proof of M. Cu- 

 vier's power of bringing important truths before 

 us by one luminous flash fi'om his pen. 



