238 LOUIS AGASSIZ. [CHAP. ix. 



as Desor had assumed, and that it would end in terrible 

 strife. Dinkel clearly saw the game Desor was playing. 

 From the first he did not like him, and it was very pain- 

 ful to him to see Agassiz fall into such hands. He left 

 Neuchatel, with regret, in the spring of 1844, and many 

 years after acknowledged "that for a long time he felt 

 unhappy at the separation." In most graphic terms he 

 described Agassiz, who, he says, " was a kind, noble- 

 hearted friend ; he was very benevolent, and if he had 

 possessed millions of money, he would have spent them 

 upon his researches in science, and have done good to his 

 fellow-creatures as much as possible." 1 Every word is 

 true, and is a noble tribute from one who knew Agassiz 

 most intimately during the time of life when faults of 

 character are most conspicuous, and are easily discov- 

 ered in the intimacy of friendship. 



Still another misfortune befell Agassiz at the close of 

 the year 1844. Gressly, who usually returned to the 

 laboratory in Neuchatel at the beginning of the winter, 

 did not come back ; and it was only after weeks had 

 passed without any tidings of him, that it was learned 

 that the poor fellow was suffering under an attack of 

 religious insanity, and had been placed in an asylum. 



1 " Louis Agassiz," by Mrs. E. C. Agassiz. Vol. I., p. 142. 



