PERSONALITY OF AGASSIZ 



to understand the Infinite Intellect from which 

 it is derived. Such a suggestion may, at first 

 sight, appear irreverent. But who is the truly 

 humble? He who, penetrating into the secrets 

 of creation, arranges them under a formula, 

 which he proudly calls his scientific system? 

 or he who in the same pursuit recognizes his 

 glorious affinity with the Creator, and in 

 deepest gratitude for so sublime a birthright 

 strives to be the faithful interpreter of that 

 Divine Intellect with whom he is permitted, 

 nay, with whom he is intended, according to 

 the laws of his being, to enter into communion? ?1 

 Herein we may discern the secret of his power 

 as a teacher. 



'Agassiz's influence on methods of teaching 

 in our community,' said Professor James, 'was 

 prompt and decisive all the more that it 

 struck people's imagination by its very excess. 

 The good old way of committing printed ab- 

 stractions to memory never seems to have re- 

 ceived such a shock as it encountered at his 

 hands. There is probably no public school 

 teacher now [1896 ] in New England who will 



1 Essay on Classification (1859), pp. 9-10. 



[61] 



