THE SCIENTIFIC SCHOOL CLASSES 



251 



President and urge upon him the necessity of connecting with Harvard at 

 any price all the men in the country who will give character to American 

 culture in letters and science during the present generation. Unless we do 

 this no plan for organization or combination will avail. ... I know that 

 unless the University follows at the rate at which the Museum advances, the 

 Museum must stop or be separated from the University, which would be 

 a lamentable result. And now tell Lyman that it is of paramount importance 

 to press on the building of the Museum, since you can have no fitting accom- 

 modation for the students before our addition is completed. I shall write 

 to him also. Until that is done I do not see how we could receive the speci- 

 mens of the Harvard Natural History Society, unless they are willing to 

 have them boxed up and stored in one of our sheds until next winter. 

 Yours truly, L. AGASSIZ. 



Nov. 29, 1871. 



Dear Mr. Shaler: ... If I were to surrender that room to students' work 

 the Museum would suffer materially. . . . You will remember that when 

 I told you I could only give up one room for students' work, it was because 

 the Museum assistants should be provided for ; but only two were provided 

 for and the others are to this day entirely without proper accommodations. 

 I must therefore leave you for this year where you are. But be assured that 

 I will make every proper exertion for the accommodation of your students. 

 Ever truly yours, L. AGASSIZ. 



In 1872, among other undertakings, Mr. Shaler worked up 

 the geology of the Sea Island district, and having an excellent 

 opportunity to do so made a close study of the Sea Island 

 negroes, who, because of their isolated life on the plantations 

 there, showed, in his opinion, more plainly than any others 

 the natural bent of the race. Many of his letters written during 

 these geological wanderings, although they seldom allude to his 

 scientific work, are so thoroughly characteristic that it seems 

 worth while to give extracts from them. 



OAK BLUFFS, MARTHA'S VINEYARD, June 29th, 1872. 



... If it were of any use I could swear once again that the next time 

 I had to travel you and the little ones should go along with me. The day 

 has been hot, and, except the sea ride, quite uncomfortable. Oak Bluffs 



