VACATIONS. 31 



whole atmosphere was in harmony with the 

 pursuits of the students. The house was sim- 

 ple in its appointments, but rich in books, 

 music, and in all things stimulating to the 

 thought and imagination. It stood near one 

 of the city gates which opened into an exten- 

 sive oak forest, in itself an admirable collect- 

 ing ground for the naturalist. At the back 

 certain rooms, sheltered by the spacious gar- 

 den from the noise of the street, were devoted 

 to science. In the first of these rooms the 

 father's rich collection of minerals was ar- 

 ranged, and beyond this were the laboratories 

 of his sons and their friends, where specimens 

 of all sorts, dried and living plants, micro- 

 scopes and books of reference, covered the 

 working tables. Here they brought their 

 treasures ; here they drew, studied, dissected, 

 arranged their specimens ; here they discussed 

 the theories, with which their young brains 

 were teeming, about the growth, structure, 

 and relations of animals and plants. 1 



From this house, which became a second 

 home to Agassiz, he wrote to his father in 

 the Christmas holidays of 1826 : . . . " My 

 happiness would be perfect were it not for 



1 See Biographical Memoir of Louis Agassiz, by Arnold 

 Guyo*, in the proceedings of U. S. National Academy. 



