766 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



of natural history somewhere on the coast 

 of Massachusetts, where teachers from our 

 schools and colleges could make their vaca- 

 tions serviceable, both for work and recrea- 

 tion, by the direct study of nature. No 

 sooner was Agassiz once more at home than 

 he was confronted by this scheme, and he 

 took it up with characteristic ardor. Means 

 there were none, nor apparatus, nor building, 

 nor even a site for one. There was only the 

 ideal, and to that he brought the undying 

 fervor of his intellectual faith. The pro- 

 spectus was soon sketched, and, once before 

 the public, it awakened a strong interest. 

 In March, when the Legislature of Massachu- 

 setts made their annual visit to the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology, Agassiz laid this 

 new project before them as one of deep inter- 

 est for science in general, and especially for 

 schools and colleges throughout the land. 

 He considered it also an educational branch 

 of the Museum, having, as such, a claim on 

 their sympathy, since it was in the line of the 

 direct growth and continuance of the same 

 work. Never did he plead more eloquently 

 for the cause of education. His gift as a 

 speaker cannot easily be described. It was 

 born of conviction, and was as simple as it 



