1836-37-] ARRIVAL OF E. DESOR. 119 



that all the places he was able to dispose of had been 

 already filled." The house of Dr. Vogt was a sort of 

 refuge, always open to all German political refugees, as 

 Desor was. At supper Dr. Vogt said, " What do you 

 think, Desor, of going to-morrow to Neuchatel where 

 Agassiz is now ; he wants a secretary. It seems to me 

 that it may be a good thing for you. I will give you a 

 few lines of introduction to him." At those words 

 Desor jumped with joy, and, next morning, started on 

 foot. He arrived a day later at Neuchatel, and with 

 his traveller's stick in his hand, a cap on his head, a 

 gray blouse on his back, and very few pennies in his 

 pocket, called at Agassiz's apartment and delivered the 

 letter of introduction and recommendation of Dr. Vogt. 

 He was accepted by Agassiz, but without any regular 

 pay. Agassiz gave him a room in his own apartment, 

 and paid his board at Professor Ladame's " table de 

 pension," and as to pecuniary remuneration, it was 

 simply understood that when he wanted money, if Agas- 

 siz had any, he would give him some; if Agassiz had 

 none, he would have to wait until Agassiz's purse was 

 replenished in some way. As Karl Vogt says, "When 

 Agassiz had money, he gave what was wanted," 

 a singularly unbusiness-like arrangement. 



/ 



P. J. Edouard Desor, born February, 1811, near 

 Frankfort, was a law student at the University of 

 Heidelberg, when a revolution took place in southern 

 Germany, about 1832, in which he participated, like 

 many other students ; and he was obliged to fly to 

 France for safety, and went to Paris, where he lived 

 four years in poverty, giving a few lessons as a private 



