246 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



beings, have revolutionized certain branches of industry, of 

 agriculture, and of pathology. One is struck with admiration 

 when seeing that so many, and such divers results, proceed- 

 through an unbroken chain of facts, nothing being left to 

 hypothesis from theoretical studies on the manner in which 

 tartaric acid deviates polarized light. Never was the famous 

 saying, 'Genius consists in sufficient patience,' more amply 

 justified. The Government now proposes that you should 

 honour this admirable combination of theoretical and practical 

 study by a national recompense ; your Commission unani- 

 mously approves of this proposition. 



* ' The suggested recompense consists in a life annuity of 

 12,000 francs, which is the approximate amount of the salary 

 of the Sorbonne professorship, which M. Pasteur's ill health 

 has compelled him to give up. It is indeed small when com- 

 pared with the value of the services rendered, and your 

 Commission much regrets that the state of our finances does 

 not allow us to increase that amount. But the Commission 

 agrees with its learned chairman (M. Mares) ' that the eco- 

 nomic and hygienic results of M. Pasteur's discoveries will 

 presently become so considerable that the French nation will 

 desire to increase later on its testimony of gratitude towards 

 him and towards Science, of which he is one of the most 

 glorious representatives.' ' 



Half the amount of the annuity was to revert to Pasteur's 

 widow. The Bill was passed by 532 votes against 24. 



" Where is the government which has secured such a 

 majority? " wrote Pasteur's old friend Chappuis, now Kector 

 of the Grenoble Academy. The value of the recompense 

 was certainly much enhanced by the fact that the Assembly, 

 divided upon so many subjects, had been almost unanimous 

 in its feeling of gratitude towards him who had laboured so 

 hard for Science, for the country and for Humanity. 



"Bravo, my dear Pasteur: I am glad for you and for 

 myself, and proud for us all. Your devoted friend, Sainte 

 Claire Deville." 



" You are going to be a happy scientist," wrote M. Duclaux, 

 ' ' for you can already see , and you will see more and more , the 

 triumph of your doctrines and of your discoveries." 



Those who imagined that this national recompense was the 

 close of a great chapter, perhaps even the last chapter of the 

 book of his life, gave him, in their well-meaning ignorance, 



