1882—1884 355 



very first, your masters foresaw that you would be an honour 

 to it, but no one would have dared to predict the startling 

 services which you were destined to render to science, France, 

 and the world." 



And after summing up in a few words Pasteur 's great career, 

 the sources of wealth which he had discovered or revived, the 

 benefits he had acquired to medicine and surgery: ''My dear 

 Pasteur," continued Dumas, with an affectionate emotion, 

 ''your life has known but success. The scientific method 

 which you use in such a masterly manner owes you its greatest 

 triumphs. The Ecole Normale is proud to number you 

 amongst its pupils ; the Academic des Sciences is proud of your 

 work; France ranks you amongst its glories. 



"At this time, when marks of public gratitude are flowing 

 towards you from every quarter, the homage which we have 

 come to offer you, in the name of your admirers and friends, 

 may seem worthy of your particular attention. It emanates 

 from a spontaneous and universal feeling, and it will preserve 

 for posterity the faithful likeness of your features. 



"May you, my dear Pasteur, long live to enjoy your fame, 

 and to contemplate the rich and abundant fruit of your work. 

 Science, agriculture, industry, and humanity will preserve 

 eternal gratitude towards you, and your name will live in their 

 annals amongst the most illustrious and the most revered." 



Pasteur, standing with bowed head, his eyes full of tears, 

 was for a few moments unable to reply, and then, making 

 a violent effort, he said in a low voice — 



"My dear master — it is indeed forty years since I first had 

 the happiness of knowing you, and since you first taught me 

 to love science. 



"I was fresh from the country; after each of your classes, 

 I used to leave the Sorbonne transported, often moved to tears. 

 From that moment, your talent as a professor, your immortal 

 labours and your noble character have inspired me with an 

 admiration which has but grown with the maturity of my mind. 



"You have surely guessed my feelings, my dear master. 

 There has not been one important circumstance in my life or 

 in that of my familj^ either happy or painful, which you have 

 not, as it were, blessed by your presence and sympathy. 



"Again to-day, j'-ou take the foremost rank in the expres- 

 sion of that testimony, very excessive, I think, of the esteem 

 of my masters, who have become my friends. And what you 



