18 LOUIS PASTEUR 



Autel de la Patrie upon which citizens were invited 

 to place their donations to the popular cause, Pas- 

 teur hastens to the Ecole Normale, gathers all his 

 savings amounting to 150 francs and freely offers 

 them in behalf of liberty. This sacrifice won the 

 approval of his patriotic father, who with pardon- 

 able pride desired to have the gift recorded as com- 

 ing from "the son of an old soldier of the Empire, 

 Louis Pasteur of the Ecole Normale." 



After resuming his regular studies Pasteur re- 

 ceived news of the death of his mother which left 

 him for weeks unable to carry on his work. Home 

 ties were always strong with Pasteur. Years after- 

 ward in the course of a celebration at Dole when 

 a memorial plate was being placed on the house 

 where he was born, he exclaimed, "Oh, my father, 

 my mother, dear departed ones who lived so hum- 

 bly in this little house, it is to you that I owe every- 

 thing. Your enthusiasms, my brave mother, you 

 have passed them on to me. If I have always 

 associated the greatness of science with the great- 

 ness of our country it is because I was imbued with 

 the sentiments which you have inspired. And you, 

 my dear father, whose life was as hard as your 

 hard trade, you have shown what patience in long 

 labors can accomplish. It is to you that I owe per- 



