164 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



always stood a movable blackboard, for he seldom spoke without 

 a piece of chalk in his hand. He would often give us a lecture 

 while he sat at the table, frequently about some fish or other crea- 

 ture, the remains of which still lay beside our plates. 



" Our second day upon the island was memorable above all the 

 others. Its striking incident has passed into literature in the poem 

 of Whittier, 'The Prayer of Agassiz.' 



" When the morning meal was over, Agassiz arose in his place 

 and spoke, as only he could speak, of his purpose of calling us 

 together. The swallows flew in and out of the building in the soft 

 June air, for they did not know that it was no longer a barn but a 

 temple. Some of them almost grazed his shoulder as he spoke 

 to us of the needs of the people for better education. He told us 

 how these needs could be met, and of the results which might come 

 to America from the training and consecration of fifty teachers. 



" This was to him no ordinary school, still less an idle summer's 

 outing, but a mission work of the greatest importance. He spoke 

 with intense earnestness, and all his words were filled with that 

 deep religious feeling so characteristic of all his thoughts. For 

 to Agassiz each natural object was a thought of God, and trifling 

 with God's truth as expressed in Nature was the basest of sacrilege. 



" What Agassiz said that morning can never be said again. No 

 reporter took his language, and no one could call back the charm 

 of his manner or the impressiveness of his zeal and faith. 



11 At the end he said, 'I would not have any man to pray for me 

 now/ and that he and each of us would utter his own prayer in 

 silence. What he meant by this was that no one could pray in 

 his stead. No public prayer could take the place of the prayer 

 which each of us would frame for himself. Whittier says: 



On the isle of Penikese, 

 Ringed about by sapphire seas, 

 Fanned by breezes salt and cool, 

 Stood the Master with his school. 

 ******* 

 Said the Master to the youth: 

 "We have come in search of truth, 



