158 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



Of her Arnold Guyot in his memoir of Agassiz in the National 

 Academy writes: " Her literary talents, to whom we owe the interest- 

 ing account of the Florida reefs and perhaps the final appearance 

 of more than one of his later works, are acknowledged by all. 

 Her deep and absolute devotion, her soothing influence secured 

 for him the peace of mind and heart so necessary for an undis- 

 turbed mental activity. To her also science owes a debt of 

 gratitude." 



Agassiz was the same vigorous collector in America he had been 

 in Europe and had soon visited all sections of the country from the 

 Lake Superior copper regions, which he explored, to southern 

 Florida, and the Pacific coast. While on a trip with the coast 

 survey vessel he visited Charleston and was there offered a pro- 

 fessorship in the Medical College, it being a more remunerative 

 position than the one he held at liarvard. This he retained until 

 1853, ever hampered by the lack of adequate funds to carry on his 

 elaborate publications and explorations. He established with his 

 wife a school for young ladies in Boston in 1855, which became 

 one of the institutions of the region, and was continued for eight 

 years, materially aiding his work in the accumulation and knowl- 

 edge relating to marine zoology and its dissemination. 



European nations, particularly France, never quite forgave 

 Agassiz for going to America, and continually offered him induce- 

 ments to return. The French Emperor tendered him a position 

 that probably no other living scientist, of France at least, would 

 have refused and in 1857 he was invited to take the chair of Paleon- 

 tology in the French Museum of Natural History, a position which 

 had been held by D'Orbigny, and despite his continued refusals 

 the Emperor conferred upon him the order of the Legion of 

 Honor. His reply was characteristic, he had become imbued with 

 American sentiments. "Were I offered absolute power for the 

 reorganization of the Jardin des Plantes with a revenue of fifty 

 thousand francs I should not accept it. I like my independence 

 better." 



The idea of a great museum now filled his heart and mind, and 

 after many years' work, needless trials and struggles, the Museum 



