In 1826 Charles X. bestowed on Cuvier the decoration of grand officer of the legion of honour; and the king of Wtirtemberg, his former sovereign, made him commander of his order of the crown. In 1827, Cuvier, as a member of the cabinet of the interior, was intrusted with the superintendence of all affairs concerning the differ ent religions professed in France, except the Catholic. In the same year he had the misfortune to lose his only remaining child, a daughter, amiable and accomplished, and on the eve of her marriage ; a loss from which he never entirely recovered. In 1823 appeared the first volume of his Histoire Naturelle des Poisaona; ' a splendid work, of which however he lived to see only the first eight volumes published. It contains more than 5000 species of fishes, described from real speci mens and classed, with observations on their anatomy, and critical researches on their nomenclature, ancient as well as modern.
In 1830 Cuvier opened a course in the Coll6ge do France on the history and progress of science, and especially of the natural sciences, in all ages. In the same year ho paid a second visit to England, and it was during his absence from Paris that the revolution of July took place. On his return he was graciously received by the new king Louis Philippe, who in 1832 made him a peer of France. On the 8th of May of that year he opened the third and concluding part of his conrse of lectures on the history of science, by summing up all that he had previously said ; he than pointed out what remained for him to say respecting this earth and its changes, and announced his intention of unfolding his own manner of viewing the present state of creation. This discourse, delivered in a calm solemn manner, produced a deep impression on his hearers, which was increased when he added the concluding words—" These will be the objects of our future investiga tions, if time, health, and strength shall be given to me to continue and finish them with you." That was his last lecture. The following
day he fell ill, and soon after paralysis manifested itself. He saw the approach of death with resignation, and he expired on the 13th of May 1832, at the age of sixty-three. Ho was buried in the cemetery of Kreda-Chaise : his funeral was attended by deputations from the Council of State, the several academies, by members of the two Chambers. be The career of this great and good man, passed quietly, but most usefully, in the pursuits of science, and in instructing and benefiting mankind, during forty years the most eventful in the history of France and of Europe, forma a striking contrast with that of the conquerors and politicians who agitated the world during the same period. His works, of which we have mentioned a few of the most important, are very numerous, and even a mere catalogue of them would exceed our limits. The reader will find a full list of them in chronological order in the very interesting Memoir' by Mrs. R. Lee, named below. Besides his scientific works, Cuvier wrote numerous (Sieges, among others, of Bruguihres, Danbenton, Lemonnier, Priestley, Adanson, Snussure. Bonnet, Foureroy, Pallas, Rumford, Werner, Sir Joseph Banks, D6lambre, Borthollet, Lac6pede, Fabbroni, Ramond, Sir Hum phry Davy, &e. These doges, which are really interesting biographies, have been published in 3 vols. 8vo. He also contributed to the 'Die tionnaire des Sciences Medicates,' the Biographie Universelle,' and to the 'Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles: (Mrs. IL Lee, Memoir of Baron Cuvier; Duvernoy, Notice Ilistorique sue les Outrages a la Vie de M. le Baron G. Cuvier; A. De Csndollc, Notice sue la Vie et lee Outrages de G. Cuvier, in the Billiotheque Universelle de Genave, vol. xlix.; and the Ploges of Messrs. Parisot, Flourens, Pasquier, LauriIlard, &c.)