Georges Cuvier

Many of Cuvier’s friendships and acquaintanceships stem from his leading position in the French scientific establishment, including Berthollet, Arago, Biot and Gay-Lussac. Lesueur and Agassiz studied with him, Agassiz and Humboldt (a valued colleague) going to hear him demolish his influential sponsor Geoffroy’s theory about the anatomy of molluscs. Chevreul, Stendhal, Mirbel and Ampère were all regulars at his Saturday evening salons: also Lyell when he was in Paris. De Candolle was his assistant and friend, Lamarck his antagonised colleague, while Owen (a regular visitor) tired of being compared to him.