94 BIOGRAPHIES OF SCIENTIFIC MEN 



for he taught living facts, not merely the dead ashes 

 of science. The late Dr Hofmann, who was a pupil of 

 Liebig, said of his master : " Nor was it so much the 

 actual knowledge he imparted, as the wonderful manner 

 in which he called forth the reflective powers of even the 

 least gifted of his pupils. And what a boon was it, after 

 having been stifled by an oppressive load of facts, to drink 

 the pure breath of science such as flowed from Liebig's 

 lips ! What a delight, after having perhaps received from 

 others a sack full of dry leaves, suddenly in Liebig's 

 lectures to see the living, growing tree ! We felt then, 

 we feel still, and never while we live shall we forget, 

 Liebig's marvellous influence over us ; and if anything 

 could be more astonishing than the amount of work he 

 did with his own hands, it was probably the mountain of 

 chemical toil which he got us to go through. Each word 

 of his carried instruction, every intonation of his voice 

 bespoke regard ; his approval was a mark of honour, and 

 of whatever else we might be proud, our greatest pride 

 of all was having him for our master. Of our young 

 winnings in the noble playground of philosophical honour, 

 more than half were free gifts to us from Liebig ; and to 

 his generous nature no triumphs of his own brought more 

 sincere delight than that which he took in seeing his 

 pupils' success, and in assisting, while he watched, their 

 upward struggle." Lucky was he who was under such 

 a master. 



