160 TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY OF PHYSICS AND 



tioii, ofifers us biilliaut as those raade me, bat 1 know how in many ways 

 to defend myself from their attractions. You must know me well 

 enough from past experience to be persuaded that 1 would not hold a 

 lucrative position through personal interests ; that far from this I would 

 always sacrifice to the advancement of the establishment which would 

 be confided to me, all the means at my disposal." 



M. Coulon succeeded in guaranteeing 80 louis ($300) annually, lor 

 three years, to the future professor. The larger part of this sum came 

 from voluntary subscriptions, the rest from the city. Soon after the 

 collections of Agassiz were purchased for 500 louis, ($1,900,) of which 

 the city paid one third, the Prince a second third, and M. Louis de 

 Pourtales completed the amount. This sum allowed Agassiz to com- 

 mence the publication of his history of fossil fishes. He employed 

 draughtsmen, and as he at the same time commenced or continued several 

 other works, he associated himself for some of them with M. Desor, and 

 afterward with M. Charles Yogt. The discoveries of Venetz and of 

 Charpeutier upon the ancient extension of the glaciers then attracted 

 his attention. The group of scientists engaged in these interesting in- 

 vestigations, of which Agassiz was the center, made frequent excursions 

 to the glacier of the Aar, where their encampment, called the hotel des 

 Neiichdtelois, is still celebrated. This was the occupation of the summer. 

 During the winter drawings and publications advanced rapidly, thanks, 

 we ought to say, in good part, to the gifts of several distinguished citizens 

 and of the government of i^euchatel. The latter were promoted by 

 King Frederick William, at the suggestion of Humboldt. This illustrious 

 savant wrote to M. L. Coulon, at the time of the nomination of Agassiz, 

 the following letter, which has never been published : 



M. de Humholt to 21. Louis Coulon. 



"It is not a request that I address to you, sir, but the expression of 

 my sincere gratitude for your noble and generous conduct in regard to 

 a young savant, JVl. Agassiz, well worthy of your encouragement and the 

 protection of your enlightened government, on account of his talent, the 

 variety and solidity of his attainments, and what adds to the value of 

 these, especially in the agitated times in which we live, the amiable 

 gentleness of his character. I have known for many years, particularly 

 through our common friend M. de Buch, that you pursue the study of nat- 

 ural history with a success equaled only by your zeal; that you have 

 formed fine collections, which you allow others to enjoy with the most 

 generous freedom. It is pleasant to me to see your benevolence directed 

 toward a young man who is dear to me, whose loss from among us we 

 shall always regret, and whom the illustrious Cuvier would have recom- 

 mended to you with like affectionate ardor on account of the excellent 

 works he has nearly completed. It is a great and noble thought, that 

 of calming minds too exclusively occupied with political ideas or Uto- 

 pian dreams by offering them in the study of nature, and of the 



