1865—1870 137 



various efforts converge. In the meanwhile it is a ver^; 

 precious encouragement to me to be approved and praised by a 

 man such as you. Your works have given you a great name, 

 and have placed you in the first rank among experimentalists 

 of our time. The admiration which you profess for me is in- 

 deed reciprocated; and we must have been born to understand 

 each other, for true science inspires us both with the same 

 passion and the same sentiments. 



*' Forgive me for not having answered your first letter; but 

 I was really not equal to writing the notice you wanted. I 

 have deeply felt for you in your family sorrow; I have been 

 through the same trial, and I can well understand the suffer- 

 ings of a tender and delicate soul such as yours." 



Henri Sainte Claire Deville, who was as warm-hearted as 

 he was witty, had, on his side, the ingenious idea of editing 

 an address of collective wishes for Claude Bernard, who 

 answered: *'My dear friend, — ^You are evidently as clever in 

 inventing friendly surprises as in making great scientific dis- 

 coveries. It was indeed a most charming idea, and one for 

 which I am very grateful to you — that of sending me a colleC' 

 live letter from my friends. I shall carefully preserve that 

 letter: first, because the feelings it expresses are very dear to 

 me; and also because it is a collection of illustrious autographs 

 which should go down to posterity. I beg you will transmit 

 my thanks to our friends and colleagues, E. Renan, A. Maury, 

 F. Kavaisson and Bellaguet. Tell them how much I am 

 touched by their kind wishes and congratulations on my re- 

 covery. It is, alas, not yet a cure, but I hope I am on a fair 

 way to it. 



*'I have received the article Pasteur has written about me in 

 the Moniteur; that article paralysed the vasomotor nerves of 

 my sympathetic system, and caused me to blush to the roots of 

 my hair. I was so amazed that I don't know what I wrote to 

 Pasteur; but I did not dare say to him that he had wrongly 

 exaggerated my merits. I know he believes all that he writes, 

 and I am happy and proud of his opinion, because it is that of a 

 scientist and experimentalist of the ver^^ first rank. Neverthe- 

 less, I cannot help thinking that he has seen me through 

 the prism of his kindly heart, and that I do not deserve such 

 excessive praise. I am more than thankful for all the marks 

 of esteem and friendship which are showered upon me. They 

 make me cling closer to life, and feel that I should be very 



