BARON CUVIER. 257 



duction made from the reasoning of the moment, 

 but from a thorough knowledge of the matter in 

 all its bearings. 



The loi de cumul (law against accumulation) * 

 would have deprived him, had it been enforced, 

 of one third of his income ; but it was contem- 

 plated by him with the utmost calmness, and, 

 even at the moment when the enforcement ap- 

 peared to be inevitable, he prepared himself to 

 continue in the performance of all his high func- 

 tions in the state, without the slightest pecuniary 

 profit. His family cheerfully adopted his views, 

 from the feeling that these duties formed a va- 

 riety of employment, which was a relaxation to 

 such a mind, and consequently beneficial to his 

 health. The loi de reduction! (law of reduc- 

 tion), which attacked all places, did take away 

 a considerable part of his revenue ; but this ex- 

 cited no other emotion than a regret that it 



* This law was to prevent any one man from benefiting 

 by the salaries attached to a number of places, at one time ; 

 and, in fact, was intended to prevent the holding of an accu- 

 mulation of employments by any one individual. 



f The loi de reduction was to lower the salaries of all 

 those who held public functions; and, as M. Cuvier was 

 charged with more than any body else, it, of course, made a 

 great difference in his annual receipts, 



S 



