2 LOUIS PASTEUR. 



have said had it been announced to him that fifty- 

 eight years later, on the fa$ade of the little house in 

 the Rue des Tanneurs, would be placed, in the pre- 

 sence of his living son laden with honours, laden with 

 glory, passing in the midst of a triumphal procession 

 along the paved town a plate bearing these words in 

 letters of gold : 



HERE WAS BORN Louis PASTEUR, 

 December 27, 1822. 



Pausing before this house, Pasteur recalled the 

 image of his father and mother of those whom he 

 called his dear departed ones and from the far-off 

 depths of his childhood came so many memories of 

 affection, devotion, and paternal sacrifices that he 

 burst into tears. 



The life of his father had been a rough one. An 

 old soldier, decorated on the field of battle, on return- 

 ing to France, where he had no longer a home, he 

 was obliged to work hard to earn his bread. He took 

 up the trade of a tanner. Soon afterwards, having 

 made the acquaintance of a worthy young girl, he 

 joined his lot with hers, and together they entered 

 courageously on the labours of their married life- 

 he calm, reflective, and more eager, whenever he had 

 a moment of repose, for the society of books than for 

 the society of his neighbours ; she full of enthusiasm, 

 her heart and spirit agitated by thoughts above the 



