1889—1895 225 



master, one of those men who are "the tutelary spirits of a 

 nation." 



The sericicultors, desiring to thank him for the five years 

 he had spent in studying the silkworm disease, offered him an 

 artistic souvenir : a silver heather twig laden with gold cocoons. 



Pasteur did not fail to remind them that it was at the 

 request of their fellow citizen that he had studied pebrine. 

 He said, "In the expression of your gratitude, by which I 

 am deeply touched, do not forget that the initiative was due to 

 M. Dumas." 



Thus his character revealed itself on every occasion. Every 

 morning, with a step rendered heavy by age and ill-health, 

 he went from his rooms to the Hydrophobia Clinic, arriving 

 there long before the patients. He superintended the prepara- 

 tion of the vaccinal marrows; no detail escaped him. When 

 the time came for inoculations, he was already informed of each 

 patient's name, sometimes of his poor circumstances; he had 

 a kind word for every one, often substantial help for the very 

 poor. The children interested him most ; whether severely 

 bitten, or frightened at the inoculation, he dried their tears 

 and consoled them. How many children have thus kept a 

 memory of him ! " When I see a child," he used to say, " he 

 inspires me with two feelings : tenderness for what he is now, 

 respect for what he may become hereafter." 



Already in May, 1892, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway had 

 formed various Committees of scientists and pupils of Pasteur 

 to celebrate his seventieth birthday. In France, it was in 

 November that the Medical and Surgical Section of the 

 Academy of Sciences constituted a Subscription Committee to 

 offer Pasteur an affectionate homage. Eoty, the celebrated 

 engraver, was desired to finish a medal he had already begun, 

 representing Pasteur in profile, a skull cap on his broad fore- 

 head, the brow strongly prominent, the whole face full of 

 energy and meditation. His shoulders are covered with the 

 cape he usually wore in the morning in the passages of his 

 Institute. Koty had not time to design a satisfactory reverse 

 side ; he surrounded with laurels and roses the following 

 inscription: 'To Pasteur, on his seventieth birthday. 

 France and Humanity grateful." 



On the morning of December 27, 1892, the great theatre of 

 the Sorbonne was filled. The seats of honour held the French 



