66 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



your feeling for us, but do not put yourself 

 out of our reach with your philosophical syl- 

 logisms. My own philosophy is to fulfill my 

 duties in my sphere, and even that gives me 

 more than I can do. ... 



The Vaudois " Society of Public Utility " 

 has just announced an altogether new project, 

 that of establishing popular libraries. A com- 

 mittee consisting of eight members, of whom 

 I have the honor to be one, is nominated un- 

 der the presidency of M. Delessert for the 

 execution of this scheme. What do you 

 think of the idea ? To me it seems a delicate 

 matter. I should say that before we insist 

 upon making people read we must begin by 

 preparing them to read usefully ? . . . 



TO HIS FATHER. 



MUNICH, March 3, 1828. 



. . . What you tell me of the " Society of 

 Public Utility" has aroused in me a throng of 

 ideas, about which I will write you when they 

 are a little more mature. Meanwhile, please 

 tell me: 1. What is this Society? 2. Of 

 what persons is it composed ? 3. What is its 

 principal aim ? 4. What are the popular li- 

 braries to contain, and for what class are they 

 intended ? I believe this project may be of 



