AGASSIZ'S STUDENT LIFE. 93 



engaged in making, under Agassiz's direction, 

 the illustrations for the Spix Fishes, was also 

 giving his spare hours to the same objects. 

 Mr. Dinkel says of Agassiz's student life at 

 this time : ^ — 



" I soon found myself engaged four or five 

 hours almost daily in painting for him fresh- 

 water fishes from the life, while he was at my 

 side, sometimes writing out his descriptions, 

 sometimes directins: me. . . . He never lost 

 his temper, though often under great trial ; 

 he remained self-possessed and did everything 

 calmly, having a friendly smile for every one 

 and a helping hand for those who were in 

 need. He was at that time scarcely twenty 

 years old, and was already the most prominent 

 among the students at Munich. They loved 

 him, and had a high consideration for him. I 

 had seen him at the Swiss students' club sev- 

 eral tunes, and had observed him among the 

 jolly students ; he liked merry society, but he 

 himself was in general reserved and never 

 noisy. He picked out the gifted and highly- 

 learned students, and would not waste his time 



^ Extract from notes written out in English by Mr. Dinkel 

 after the death of Agassiz and sent to me. The English, 

 though a little foreign, is so expressive that it would lose by 

 any attempt to change it, and the writer will excuse me for 

 inserting his vivid sketch just as it stands. — E. C. A. 



