CHAPTEK XVI 



MetohnikoS at the age of thirty — Lecturing in Odessa University, from 

 1873 to 1882 — Internal difficulties — ^Assassination of the Tsar, 

 Alexander II. — Further troubles in the University — Resignation 

 — Bad health : cardiac symptoms — Relapsing fever — Choroiditis 

 — Studies on Ephemeridse — Further studies on intracellular 

 digestion — ^The Parenchymella — Holidays in the country — Experi- 

 ments on agricultural pests. 



Elie Metchnikoff was now thirty years old, and his 

 personality was fully characterised though it had not 

 yet reached the culminating point of its development. 



His dominating point was his passionate vocation ; 

 his worship of Science and of Keason made of him 

 an inspired apostle. He had the faults and qualities 

 of a rich and powerful nature. Vibrating through all 

 the fibres of his being, he shed life and light around 

 him. His temper was violent and passionate ; he 

 could bear no attack on the ideas which were dear 

 to him, and became combative as soon as he thought 

 them threatened. His was a wrestler's temperament ; 

 obstacles exasperated his energy and he went straight 

 for them, pursuing his object with an invincible 

 tenacity ; he never gave up a problem, however 

 difficult, and never hesitated to face any sacrifice or 

 any privation if he thought them necessary. 



A strange contradiction with this iron will was 

 offered by occasional disconcerting impulses, like that 

 which caused the failure of his first journey abroad, 

 or by sudden attacks of fury for insignificant reasons 



96 



