LETTER TO CUV1ER. 103 



himself in the snow for joy, and we agreed 

 that however little hope there might be of 

 our joining the expedition, still the fact that 

 Humboldt would hear of us in this way was 

 worth something, even if it were only that we 

 might be able to say to him one of these days, 

 " We are the fellows whose company you re- 

 jected." 



With this hope the friends were obliged 

 to content themselves, for after a few weeks 

 of alternate encouragement and despondency 

 their bright vision faded. Oken fulfilled his 

 promise and wrote to Humboldt, recommend- 

 ing them most warmly. Humboldt answered 

 that his plans were conclusively settled, and 

 that he had chosen the only assistants who were 

 to accompany him, Ehrenberg and Rose. 



In connection with this frustrated plan is 

 here given the rough draft of a letter from 

 Agassiz to Cuvier, written evidently at a some- 

 what earlier date. Although a mere frag- 

 ment, it is the outpouring of the same passion- 

 ate desire for a purely scientific life, and shows 

 that the opportunity suggested by Humboldt's 

 journey had only given a definite aim to pro- 

 jects already full grown. From the contents 

 it must have been written in 1828. After 



