580 LOUIS AGASSI Z. 



many years to the relief committee, — $2,000, 

 retaining nothing for himself, — and so it 

 goes all round. Of course we have croakers 

 and despondent people, but they no longer 

 dare to raise their voices ; from which I infer 

 that there is no stopping the storm until by 

 the natural course of events the atmosphere 

 is clear and pure again. 



Ever truly your friend, 



Louis Agassiz. 



Agassiz had now his time more at his own 

 disposal since he had given up his school and 

 had completed also the fourth volume of his 

 " Contributions." Leisure time he could never 

 be said to have, but he was free to give all 

 his spare time and strength to the Museimi, 

 and to this undivided aim, directly or indi- 

 rectly, the remainder of his life was devoted. 

 Although at intervals he received generous 

 aid from the Legislature or from private in- 

 dividuals for the further development of the 

 Museum, its growth outran such provision, 

 and especially during the years of the war 

 the problem of meeting expenses was often 

 difficult of solution. To provide for such a 

 contingency Agassiz made in the winter of 

 1863 the most extensive lecturing tour he 



