this was followed by Pfitzer with the same length of time in botany. 

 Then I was requested to withdraw, was readmitted after a few minutes 

 and informed that I had passed, but was not to learn till the follow- 

 ing day which of the four grades would be given me. I hurried home 

 and delighted my Mother with the great news. All the household re- 

 joiced with her and we celebrated by attending the evening concert 

 at the Castle. 



The next day, I returned to the University "zum Promoviren," that 

 is, to receive the degrees of Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy. 

 Luckily, I went a trifle early, for I had committed the enormous blunder 

 of appearing in a morning suit, and the horrified Bedell hustled me 

 back home to change into "Frack und Cylinder," anglice swallowtail 

 coat and top hat. This I did in record time and kept the Dean waiting 

 but a few moments. Then an official read a long oath in Latin, to which 

 I swore and subscribed, but, as it was read very rapidly and with the 

 German pronunciation, I could not understand a syllable of it and 

 have no idea of what I swore to do and observe. I can only hope that 

 I have not perjured myself many times since. Then, very timidly, I 

 asked the Dean if I might know which grade I had received and, quite 

 indifferently and just as if it had not been the most important event 

 in modern history, he said: "Yes, the first." Summa cum laudel Fancy 

 that! I had never dreamed of attaining that distinction and my emotions 

 were composed equally of surprise and delight. When I got home and 

 told my Mother, she was fairly beside herself and flew down the long 

 corridor and into the living room, crying out: "He's got a first; he's 

 got a first." All the family, including the servants, rejoiced with us 

 in the friendliest way and Gegenbaur's deep gratification repaid me for 

 all my toil. 



A couple of days later, the Bedell brought me fourteen copies of the 

 diploma, one on parchment, the others on paper and these I enjoyed 

 sending to interested friends; they brought me in a harvest of con- 

 gratulatory letters, including two charming ones from Huxley and 

 Balfour. Evidently, too, I was beginning to gain a reputation at home, 

 several straws indicating the direction of the wind. A young woman in 

 Boston (I assume she was young, her letter sounded so) wrote to ask 

 my advice as to the best place in Europe for her to study biology. The 

 president of a woman's college in New England wrote to inquire 

 whether I would consider an appointment to their Faculty. This, by 

 the way, was the only "call" I ever received from any college but Prince- 

 ton. I have often wondered why, almost alone among my colleagues, 



C 122 ] 



