THE BIOGRAPHY OF AGASSIZ 185 



out examination. They filled many trunks. From 

 this mass I have preserved all that I thought of 

 the least biographical interest — much that I prob- 

 ably shall not use. Beside the arranging of this 

 manuscript it has been necessary for me to make a 

 careful review of his early works. Of course [for] 

 the technical scientific work I am entirely incom- 

 petent. I cannot even understand it. I try to grasp 

 the larger generalizations, the ideas underlying the 

 whole, and to see when these thoughts first dawned 

 upon him — how early in life the outline of his 

 intellectual work was sketched out and how it was 

 gradually filled in. This I strive to do. He himself 

 helped me to understand it — indeed he gave into 

 my hand the key to his intellectual history. The tech- 

 nical work — I mean the critical revision of his in- 

 vestigations in detail — I should, of course, leave to 

 Alex. However, as far as possible I shall let the letters 

 write the biography ; we have many, and they make 

 in themselves, if judiciously put together, a coher- 

 ent narrative. But you will easily understand, 

 knowing as you do and following with such sympa- 

 thy our domestic life, how difficult it has been for 

 me to go on connectedly and rapidly with my work. 

 Of course the care of my three boys (Alex's chil- 

 dren) occupies me very much. 



TO AUGUSTE MAYOR 



NahanU September 17, 1877 

 The number of the Revue Suisse containing the 

 Memoir of M. Ernest Favre upon Agassiz only 



