Edward L. Pierce, Memoir and letters of Charles Sumner: volume 1

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[249] character and situation of Consuls. The latter lectured on the history of law, and was speaking to-day upon customary law. His voice was indistinct, so that I was not able to gather much from him. He was a man of about thirty-five or thirty-eight, with nothing striking or prepossessing in his manner.

Feb. 9. Heard Magendie¹ this morning, at the College Royal de France. He is renowned for killing cats and dogs, as well as for thorough scientific attainments, I believe. He is a man apparently about fifty, rather short and stout, with a countenance marked by the small-pox. There were no less than three murdered dogs brought upon his table while I was there, in order to illustrate the different appearance of the blood at certain times after death. From Magendie I went to the École de Droit, where I stumbled accidentally upon an examination of a law student for some degree, whether that of Bachelor of Laws, Licentiate, Avocat, or what, I could not tell. The examination was conducted by M. Oudot, a professor whom I have not heard lecture as yet, but who in manner and figure seemed not unlike Henry VIII. Before the examination was concluded three other professors entered, all in their robes and red hats. The student under examination was habited in a black gown of some woollen stuff.

Next heard M. Rossi, whom I have already heard repeatedly, on administrative law. He considered the House of Peers; and, by way of illustration, glanced at that of England. To-day also visited, for the second time, the church of St.Étienne, where are the tombs of Pascal and Boileau, and of St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris.

Feb. 10. Before breakfast went to the Hopital de la Charite, one of the great hospitals which make Paris such a profitable resort for the student of medicine. The buildings were quite old and rugged, but vast and with spacious courts. The great surgeon, Velpeau,² has charge of the surgical wards at this institution, and, as professor, lectures. He is followed through his wards in the morning by an army of students with their note-books. Every kind of hurt, swelling, and loathsome complaint seems to collect here; at all of which these students and their teacher look with an undisturbed countenance. Blessed be science, which has armed man with knowledge and resolution to meet these forms of human distress! From the wards we passed to the lecture room connected therewith, where Velpeau, in a plain way, explained some of the cases which they had just seen in the wards; this being done, he took up the thread of his regular course of lectures, which at this stage related to the eye and its complaints. He appears to be about fifty, of the middle size, and with a mild gentle countenance. From the lecture room passed to the consultation room, where the poor called and exhibited to him their ailments and received gratuitous attention, the students forming a circle around, and of course observing the patient.

Feb. 11 (Sunday). Dined with Mr. Ticknor. After dinner an Italian