1855—1859 77 



The small theatre where Pasteur gave his chemistry lessons 

 soon became celebrated in the students^ world. 



The faults had disappeared with which Pasteur used to 

 reproach himself when he first taught at Dijon and later at 

 Strasburg. He was sure of himself, he was clear in his ex- 

 planations; the chain of thought, the fitness of words, all was 

 perfect. He made few experiments, but those were decisive. 

 He endeavoured to bring out every observation or comparison 

 they might suggest. The pupil w^ho went away delighted 

 from the class did not suspect the care each of those apparently 

 easy lessons had cost. When Pasteur had carefully prepared 

 aU his notes, he used to make a summary of them; he had 

 these summaries bound together afterwards. We may thus 

 sketch the outline of his work; but who will paint the gesture 

 of demonstration, the movement, the grave penetrating voice, 

 the life in short? 



After a few months the Minister wrote to M. Guillemin, the 

 rector, that he was much pleased with the success of this 

 Faculty of Sciences at Lille, ** which already owes it to the 

 merit of the teaching — solid and brilliant at the same time — 

 of that clever Professor, that it is able to rival the most 

 flourishing Faculties.'* The Minister felt he must add some 

 ofiScial advice: **But M. Pasteur must guard against being 

 carried away by his love for science, and he must not forget 

 that the teaching of the Faculties, whilst keeping up with 

 scientific theory, should, in order to produce useful and far- 

 reaching results, appropriate to itself the special applications 

 suitable to the real wants of the surrounding country." 



A year after the inauguration of the new Faculty, Pasteur 

 wrote to Chappuis: **Our classes are very well attended; I 

 have 250 to 300 people at my most popular lectures, and we 

 have twenty-one pupils entered for laboratory experiments. 

 I believe that this year, like last year, Lille holds the first 

 rank for that innovation, for I am told that at Lyons there 

 were but eight entries.'* It was indeed a success to distance 

 Lyons. **The zeal of all is a pleasure to watch (January, 

 1856). It reaches that point that four of the professors take 

 the trouble to have their manuscript lessons printed; there 

 are already 120 subscribers for the course of applied mechanics. 



**Our building is fortunately completed; it is large and 

 handsome, but will soon become insufficient owin^ to the 

 progress of practical teaching. 



