BAEON CUVIEE'S SANCTUM. 145 



stairs, and in the first room we entered I saw a sligiit figure in 

 black gliding out at an opposite door like a sylph. It was 

 Miss Cuvier, not quite ready to receive company. Off she flew, 

 like a dove before falcons; However, we followed our man, 

 who every moment turned to us and repeated, * This way, gentle- 

 men.' Then we passed through eight rooms filled with beds or 

 books, and at last reached a sort of laboratory, the sanctum 

 sanctorum of Cuvier ; nothing there but books, the skeletons of 

 animals, and reptiles. Our conductor bid us sit, and left us to 

 seek for the Baron. My eyes were occupied in the interval in 

 examining the study of this great man, and my mind in reflect- 

 ing on 'the wonders of his knowledge. All but order was about 

 his books, and I concluded that he read and studied, and was not 

 fond of books because he was the owner of them, as some great 

 men seem to be '^Jiom I have known. Our conductor returned 

 directly, and led» us to another laboratory, where we found the 

 Baron. Great men stow politeness in a particular way ; they 

 receive you without much demonstration ; a smile suffices to 

 assure you that you are welcome, and keep about their avoca- 

 tions as if you were a member of the family. " 



