da 
) 
Marie-Henri Ducrotay de Blainville. 197 
The rumour. of this transformation one day reached his 
paternal dwelling, where the eldest of the Blainville’s still 
resided. ‘“ Are you aware what your young brother has be- 
come 2” a news-telling traveller said to him. ‘“ Nothing good, 
‘I suppose.” “ Know then that he is in the way of acquiring 
great renown.” “ Impossible !” exclaimed the feudal Norman, 
* he would never do anything.’ 
The elevated character of his first works, his skill in seizing 
connections, his birth and singular beginnings, were all des- 
tined from the first to distinguish this new adept in science. 
While following in all its branches the.course of instruction 
given in the Museum, M. de Blainville everywhere met with 
a generous sympathy. It was there—in this great and first 
school of modern Natural History—that during ten years of 
deep study, all the superior faculties’ were developed of a 
man who was to distinguish his progress by strength in 
meditation, and boldness and tenacity in controversy. 
M. de Blainville first attached himself to Zoology. He 
has given to it a peculiar character. I particularly remark 
this distinct character in what he has left us on the Mollusca 
and Zoophytes. When he began to occupy himself with these 
two groups of beings, all the principal divisions were already 
established ; the type defined, the classes formed, and these 
classes divided into orders; but the work relating to the 
genera still remained, a work which required singular 
sagacity, and in which M. de Blainville has excelled. He 
formed a conception of genera, as Linnzeus conceived them. 
And this resemblance is not the only one I have found be- 
tween him and that naturalist of such rare endowments. 
They are the only two systematists, perhaps, whose fire did 
not become extinguished among details. Linneus gives to 
his details a living character by invented expressions. M. 
de Blainville animates them in a different way; he makes 
them the empassioned results of his preconceived ideas. 
From Zoology, M. de Blainville passed rapidly to Compara- 
tive Anatomy. In these galleries, then in their infancy, every 
thing reminded him of the deep admiration he had felt, when, 
confounded in the crowd, he heard for the first time the elvu- 
quent voice of the great renovator, inspired with the ancient 
