210 Biographical Notice of 
on Comparative osteography, a description of the collections 
entrusted to his care, and he superintended, with that seve- 
rity of attention which was peculiar to him, the drawings 
made with that view, which no one could judge of better 
than himself. This undertaking was attended with enor- 
mous expense, and had every claim to the encouragement 
which public authority has always granted to great and im- 
portant publications. It was a matter of simple justice, 
therefore, that this work should be placed under the patron- 
age of government. But in order to obtain it, it was neces- 
sary to ask for it, and make these claims understood, and 
never was there a misanthrope less disposed to set aside the 
prerogatives of his bad humour. 
Estimating very highly, and with just reason, the value of 
the author and of the work, M. de Blainville alleged that 
they should come to him, and beg of him to accept of this 
aid; for, in addition to the fearful hatred he had vowed 
against the human race, he treated everything like authority 
with a higher degree of irritation, as it hurt his feelings as a 
gentleman; and he never could be prevailed on to conde- 
scend to make the demand in question. He suffered and 
complained bitterly, and gave himself all the satisfaction 
that could arise from accusing everybody; his colleagues, 
the Academy, Institute, the minister, government, all were 
to blame, except himself. He never abated in his stubborn- 
ness, and thereby deprived himself of the possibility of com- 
pleting his immense and learned catalogue. 
This same individual, whose jealous hauteur was roused 
at the very appearance of receiving a favour from those in 
power, and whose previous history assuredly did not display 
him in the light of a pacificator, was however occupied, about 
this period, with a subject embracing the most delicate views 
of conciliation. 
Under the title of History of the Sciences of Organization, 
taken as a Basis of Philosophy, he gave to the public, in 
1845, a work whose object he describes as being the union of 
philosophy and religion. 
Always carried away by preconceived views, he proceeds 
in the same manner in history as he did in science. He — 
forms types. Aristotle is the type of the natural sciences in — 
