xxiv.] HfS DRESS. 219 



never ceased to be a gentleman, and was careful 

 not to wound too deeply his adversaries or the per- 

 son with whom he was discussing. As one of his 

 most constant and bitter enemies said, he was " un 

 bon enfant." During his youth and student life, and 

 even as late as his " sejours " at the " Hotel des Neu- 

 chatelois," he used to sing, and even to yodel, like the 

 Tyrolese peasants and the Oberland guides ; but he 

 completely ceased as soon as he landed on American 

 soil. 



Fine clothes never attracted him. He was, on the 

 contrary, rather inclined to wear the most common and 

 unbecoming suits and a slouch hat during winter and 

 summer, and I do not believe that during his whole 

 stay in America he ever wore a silk hat. At Neu- 

 chatel, his dress was most ordinary, notwithstanding 

 the rather formal society in which he moved. But in 

 Paris, during his long visit of 1846, he was obliged to 

 follow the customs of other savants, conformed to ever 

 since the time of Cuvier and Humboldt, viz. a black frock 

 coat, white cravat, and high hat. Alexander von Hum- 

 boldt affected to wear such ceremonial dress even when 

 he explored the Ural Mountains and Central Asia, and 



/ 



Leopold von Buch, as well as Elie de Beaumont, did 

 the same during their geological excursions. It was 

 not becoming to Agassiz, however, and he was delighted 

 when he arrived in America to find that every one 

 dressed as he pleased, without any ceremony or con- 

 vention of any sort. He very seldom wore gloves, 

 never carried a cane, except an alpenstock, and very sel- 

 dom used an umbrella. When in Neuchatel at official 



