BARON CUVIER, 313 



tervals of brightness, whicli added to the effect 

 of the scene ; and he observed, that he could 

 not wonder, when he saw such a sky over such a 

 country, at the perfection to which the English 

 liad carried their landscapes in water colours. 

 He had intended revisiting Oxford, and seeing 

 Cambridge, with the latter of wdiich he was 

 only acquainted by report; but the curtailed pe- 

 riod of his stay did not permit him to enjoy these 

 pleasures. Never, however, did any one profit 

 more entirely by every hour than he did. Ac- 

 customed to consider his insatiable desire to see 

 and know every thing as a virtue, he left no 

 means untried to satisfy his curiosity ; he rose at 

 six, visited on foot various parts of London, 

 which he had never before seen, then returnino: 

 to breakfast, he entered his carriage with his 

 companion, and went to the Parks, the exhi- 

 bitions, collections, &c. He was every where 

 pleased with the reception he met with, though 

 it was a matter of regret to the English that so 

 few persons chanced to be in the metropolis to 

 do him honour. One amusing mark of respect 

 was a source of great entertainment, and for its 

 drollery alone do I offer it to the reader. Dur- 

 ing the absence of his valet, M. Cuvier sent for 

 a barber to shave him. The operation being 



