102 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



oldest son, will offer no obstacles to his pro- 

 jects, but pray God to bless them. . . . 



The subjoined letter of about the same date 

 from Alexander Braun to his father tells us 

 how the projects so ardently urged upon his 

 parents by Agassiz, and so affectionately ac- 

 cepted by them, first took form in the minds 

 of the friends. 



BRAUN TO HIS FATHER. 



MUNICH, February 15, 1829. 



. . . Last Thursday we were at Oken's. 

 There was interesting talk on all sorts of sub- 

 jects, bringing us gradually to the Ural and 

 then to Humboldt's journey, and finally Oken 

 asked if we would not like to go with Hum- 

 boldt. To this we gave warm assent, and 

 told him that if he could bring it about we 

 would be ready to start at a day's notice, and 

 Agassiz added, eagerly, " Yes, and if there 

 were any hope that he would take us, a word 

 from you would have more weight than any- 

 thing." Oken's answer gave us but cold com- 

 fort ; nevertheless, he promised to write at 

 once to Humboldt in our behalf. With this, 

 we went home in great glee ; it was very late 

 and a bright moonlight night. Agassiz rolled 



