BARON CUVIER. ^49 



with those just issued from the schools ; who, 

 with all the fire and confidence of youth, fre- 

 quently obtain their wishes by their brilliancy, 

 while those of much more real merit are left far 

 behind. The other methods are particularly open 

 to private feelings, or a liability to place men of 

 inferior merit in the professoi-'s chair. To ob- 

 viate these inconveniences and abuses, M. Cuvier 

 created that method which, in France, is called 

 aggregation. A defeat is of comparatively little 

 consequence to young students ; and therefore, 

 according to this institution, directly they quit 

 the schools, they undergo an election in order 

 to become agreges : these agreges are assist- 

 ants to sick or aged professors, during their at- 

 tendance on whom, time and opportunity are 

 given for the developement of their talents, and 

 to make themselves known. At the death of 

 the professor, the faculty to which he belonged 

 presents three candidate agreges to the minister, 

 whose choice determines the appointment. 



Long convinced that those destined to differ- 

 ent administrative functions should follow a 

 course of study especially adapted to these du- 

 ties, in the same manner as they do for the 

 learned professions, M. Cuvier proposed to the 

 Simeon ministry to create a new faculty, or par- 



