BARON CUVIER. 245 



which intention he more than once expressed, 

 M. Cuvier could not have held it, owing to the 

 insurmountable obstacle presented by his reli- 

 gion ; therefore was he made perpetual Grand 

 Master of the Protestant Faculties. This ho- 

 nour was not even opposed by the Catholic 

 bishops, who were thoroughly sensible of M. 

 Cuvier's profound knowledge of ecclesiastical 

 affairs, of his tolerating spirit, which never 

 prompted him to one harsh measure, and he 

 assumed this important charge to the great sa- 

 tisfaction of all France ; if, indeed, we except 

 the fanatics of his own creed, who were, per- 

 haps, as much opposed to his enlightened views 

 as the Jesuits, and caused even greater obstacles 

 to the ameliorations he endeavoured to establish. 

 He instantly commenced a completely new sys- 

 tem of order and encouragement, which, it is 

 true, did not always succeed according to his 

 hopes ; so difficult is it to wean the unenlight- 

 ened from the prejudice of party, and from long- 

 established ideas. He, however, perseveringly con- 

 tinued his endeavours, undaunted even by the 

 failure of many schemes, provided he could be 

 successful but in one instance. He believed that 

 instruction would lead to civilisation, and civi- 

 lisation to morality; and, therefore, that primary 



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