BOSTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY. 157 



religious. During his whole life, while exploring every secret of animal structure, he saw 

 such wonderful consistency in every part, that he never for a moment doubted that all 

 were parts of one vast plan, the work of one infinite, all-comprehending Thinker. He 

 saw no place for accident, none for blind, unthinking, brute or vegetable selection. 

 Though he was a man of the rarest intellect, he was never ashamed to look upwards and 

 recognize an infinitely higher and more comprehensive Intellect above him. 



Atrassiz's mother-tono-ue was French, but both this and German were in common use 

 in the Pays de Vaud. He lived, for years afterwards, in several parts of Germany, and 

 thus attained, without special study, the rich language which we Americans have to give 

 so much time to acquire ; and he lived, long, a studious and laborious life in Paris, where 

 he became intimately acquainted with Cuvier and other distinguished naturalists, and per- 

 fectly familiar with the French language in its best form. More than once, when he was 

 putting his note-book into his pocket, he told me he knew not whether he had made his 

 notes in German or in French. 



Agassiz's universality of study and thought suggest a precious lesson. It is never safe 

 to give one's self entirely to one study or to one course of thought. The full powers of 

 the mind cannot so be developed. Nature is infinite ; and a small part of one kingdom 

 cannot be understood, however carefully studied, without some knowledge of the rest. 



Agassiz took a large, comprehensive view of the whole field of natural history ; his 

 thorough education and intimate acquaintance with the works of the highest men in sev- 

 eral walks. Von Martins, Cuvier, Humboldt, and others, made it possible for him to do it, 

 and he then fixed on certain departments, and, for the time, he gave himself entirely to 

 one. 



Whenever Mr. Agassiz undertook a special work, he prepared himself for it by a care- 

 ful study of whatever had been done in that particular line by all others. He had seen, 

 everywhere, indications of the action of ice. He determined to investigate. He began 

 by reading all he could find upon the subject, and then set himself to observe, patiently 

 and carefully, what was taking place in the glaciers themselves. He gave the leisure of 

 several years to this examination, and then felt himself i-eady to observe the eflFects of 

 similar action in former ages and distant regions. The opinions of such an observer, after 

 such a preparation, cannot be without authority and value ; and it is not surprising that 

 he should not himself have been willing to yield them to those of others who had never 

 given the same study to the subject. 



His example as a teacher has been of inestimable value, as showing the importance of 

 the best and largest possible preparation, teaching by things really existing and not by 

 books, opening the eye to the richness and beauty of nature, showing that there is no 

 spot, from the barren sea-beach to the top of the mountain, which does not present objects 

 attractive to the youngest beginner, and worthy of, and rewarding, the careful considera- 

 tion of the highest intellect. 



In 1855, with the aid of Mrs. Agassiz, who, from the beginning, did a great deal of the 

 work, Mr. Agassiz opened a school for young ladies. For this he was, in all respects, 

 admirably well qualified. The charm of his manner, his perfect simplicity, sincerity and 

 warm-heartedness, attracted every pupil, and won her respect, love and admiration. He 

 knew, almost instinctively, what we teachers have to learn by degrees, that we cannot 



