1865—1870 145 



Monetary Commission, thus leaving vacant a place as Inspector- 

 General of Higher Education. Duruy, anxious to do Pasteur 

 justice, thought this post most suitable to him as it would allow 

 him to continue his researches. The decree was about to be 

 signed, when Balard, professor of chemistry at the Faculty of 

 Sciences, applied for the post. Pasteur wrote respectfully to 

 the Minister of Public Instruction (July 31) : "Your Excel- 

 lency must know that twenty years ago, when I left the Ecole 

 Normale, I was made a curator, thanks to M. Balard, who was 

 then a professor at the Ecole Normale. A grateful pupil can- 

 not enter into competition with a revered master, especially 

 for a post where considerations of age and experience should 

 have great weight." 



When Pasteur spoke of his masters, dead or living, Biot or 

 Senarmont, Dumas or Balard, it might indeed have been 

 thought that to them alone he owed it that he was what he 

 was. He was hoard on this occasion, and Balard obtained the 

 appointment. 



Nisard was succeeded by M. F. Bouillier, whose place as 

 Inspector-General of Secondary Education devolved on M. 

 Jacquinet. The directorship of scientific studies was given to 

 Pasteur's old and excellent friend, the faithful Bertin. After 

 teaching in Alsace for eighteen years, he had become maitre des 

 conferences at the Ecole Normale in 1866, and also assistant 

 of Eegnault at the College de France. It had only been by 

 dint of much persuasion that Pasteur had enticed him to Paris. 

 " What is the good?" said the unambitious Bertin ; " beer is 

 not so good in Paris as in Strasburg. . . . Pasteur does not 

 understand life ; he is a genius, that is all ! " But, under this 

 apparent indolence, Bertin was possessed of the taste for and 

 the art of teaching; Pasteur knew this, and, when Bertin was 

 appointed, Pasteur's fears for the scientific future of his beloved 

 Ecole were abated. Duruy, much regretting the break of 

 Pasteur's connection with the great school, offered him the 

 post of maitre des conferences, besides the chair of chemistry 

 which Balard's appointment had left vacant at the Sorbonne. 

 But Pasteur declined the tempting offer ; he knew the care and 

 trouble that his public lectures cost him, and felt that the two 

 posts would be beyond his strength ; if his time were taken up 

 by that double task it would be almost impossible for him to 

 pursue his private researches, which under no circumstances 

 would he abandon. 



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