LETTER TO PROFESSOR DANA. 495 



In town, where I go three times a week to 

 deliver lectures at the Medical College (be- 

 side a course just now in the evening also 

 before a mixed audience), I have the rest of 

 my family, so that nothing would be wanting 

 to my happiness if my health were only bet- 

 ter. . . . What a pity that a man cannot 

 work as much as he would like ; or at least 

 accomplish what he aims at. But no doubt 

 it is best it should be so ; there is no harm in 

 being compelled by natural necessities to limit 

 our ambition, on the contrary, the better 

 sides of our nature are thus not allowed to go 

 to sleep. However, I cannot but regret that 

 I am unable at this time to trace more exten- 

 sively subjects for which I should have ample 

 opportunities here, as for instance the anat- 

 omy of the echinoderms, and also the embry- 

 ology of the lower animals in general. . . . 



This winter, notwithstanding the limitations 

 imposed upon his work by the state of his 

 health, was a very happy one to Agassiz. As 

 mentioned in the above letter his wife and 

 daughters had accompanied him to Charles- 

 ton, and were established there in lodgings. 

 Their holidays and occasional vacations were 

 passed at the house of Dr. John E. Holbrook 



