268 HERMANN VON HELMIIOLTZ : 



sented in marble by a master of the first rank, so that 

 I shall appear to the present and to future generations 

 in a more ideal form ; and another master of the 

 etching needle has ensured that faithful portraits of 

 me shall be distributed among my contemporaries. 



I cannot fail to remember that all you have done is 

 an expression of the sincerest and warmest goodwill on 

 your part, and that I am most deeply indebted to you 

 for it. 



I must, however, be excused if the first effect of 

 these abundant honours is rather surprising and con- 

 fusing to me than intelligible. My own consciousness 

 does not justify me in putting a measure of the value 

 of what I have tried to do, which would leave such a 

 balance in my favour as you have drawn. I know 

 how simply everything I have done has been brought 

 about ; how scientific methods worked out by my pre- 

 decessors have naturally led to certain results, and how 

 frequently a fortunate circumstance or a lucky acci- 

 dent has helped me. But the chief difference is this 

 that which I have seen slowly growing from small 

 beginnings through months and years of toilsome and 

 tentative work, all that suddenly starts before you like 

 Pallas fully equipped from the head of Jupiter. A feel- 

 ing of surprise has entered into your estimate, but not 

 into mine. At times, and perhaps even frequently, my 

 own estimate may possibly have been unduly lowered 



