BARON CUVIER. 297 



to France to avoid ruin in their own country ; 

 but even my anxiety to make known all M. Cu- 

 vier*s good qualities ought not to interfere with 

 the sacredness of private misfortune. In his en- 

 deavours to do good, he was always most ably 

 seconded by the females of his family, whose 

 active benevolence has called upon them many a 

 blessing from the hearts they have cheered by 

 their kindness and bounty. 



A very remarkable and a very prominent 

 feature in M. Cuvier's character, was a decided 

 aversion to ridicule or severity when speaking 

 of others : he not only wholly abstained from 

 satire himselfi but wholly discouraged it in those 

 around him, whoever they might be ; and was 

 never for one instant cheated into a toleration of 

 it, however brilliant the wit, or however droll 

 the light in which it was placed ; and the only 

 sharpness of expression which he allowed to him- 

 self, was a rebuke to those who indulged in sar- 

 casm. On hearing me repeat some malicious 

 observations made by a person celebrated for 

 his wit and talent — not being aware of the hid- 

 den meaning of the words I quoted, and having 

 been very much amused with the conversation — 

 M. Cuvier instantly assumed a gravity and se- 

 riousness which almost alarmed me, and then 



