442 THE LIFE OF PASTEUR 



of accounts "those who go about repeating that everything 

 here below is for the worst, that there is no disinterestedness, 

 no devotion in this world to cast their eyes over the ' human 

 documents ' of the Pasteur Institute. They would learn therein, 

 beginning at the beginning, that Academies contain colleagues 

 who are not offended, but proud and happy in the fame of 

 another ; that politicians and journalists often have a passion 

 for what is good and true ; that at no former epoch have great 

 men been more beloved in France ; that justice is already ren- 

 dered to them during their lifetime, which is very much the 

 best way of doing so ; that we have cheered Victor Hugo's 

 birthday, Chevreul's centenary, and the inauguration of the 

 Pasteur Institute. When a Frenchman runs himself down, 

 said one of M. Pasteur's colleagues, do not believe him; he is 

 boasting ! Reversing a celebrated and pessimistic phrase, it 

 might be said that in this public subscription all the virtues 

 flow into unselfishness like rivers into the sea." 



M. Christophle went on to show how rich and poor had joined 

 in this subscription and raised an amount of 2,586,680 fr. The 

 French Chambers had voted 200,000 fr., to which had been 

 added international gifts from the Tsar, the Emperor of Brazil, 

 and the Sultan. The total expenses would probably reach 

 1,563,786 fr., leaving a little more than a million to form an 

 endowment for the Pasteur Institute, a fund which was to be 

 increased every year by the product of the sale of vaccines from 

 the laboratory, which Pasteur and Messrs. Chamberland and 

 Roux agreed to give up to the Institute. 



'* It is thus, Sir," concluded the treasurer, directly addressing 

 Pasteur, " that public generosity, practical help from the 

 Government , and your own disinterestedness have founded and 

 consolidated the establishment which we are to-day inaugurat- 

 ing." And, persuaded that the solicitude of the public would 

 never fail to support this great work, " This is for you, Sir, a 

 rare and almost unhoped for happiness ; let it console you for 

 the passionate struggles, the terrible anxiety and the many 

 emotions you have gone through." 



Pasteur, overcome by his feelings, had to ask his son to read 

 his speech. It began by a rapid summary of what France had 

 done for education in all its degrees. "From village schools 

 to laboratories, everything has been founded or renovated." 

 After acknowledging the help given him in later years by the 

 public authorities, he continued 



