200 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



because of the friendship felt for you by 

 many persons here, but also on account of 

 the lustre which a chair of natural history so 

 filled would shed upon our institution. Of 

 this our subscribers are well aware, and it ac- 

 counts for the rapid filling of the list. I am 

 very anxious, as are all these gentlemen, to 

 know your decision, and beg you therefore to 

 let us hear from you as soon as possible." 



A letter from Humboldt to M. Coulon, 

 about this time, is an earnest of his watchful 

 care over the interests of Agassiz. 



HUMBOLDT TO LOUIS COULON. 



POTSDAM, July 25, 1832. 



... I do not write to ask a favor, but 

 only to express my warm gratitude for your 

 noble and generous dealings with the young 

 savant, M. Agassiz, who is well worthy your 

 'encouragement and the protection of your 

 government. He is distinguished by his tal- 

 ents, by the variety and substantial character 

 of his attainments, and by that which has a 

 special value in these troubled times, his natu- 

 ral sweetness of disposition. 



Through our common friend, M. von Buch, 

 I have known for many years that you study 

 natural history with a success equal to your 



