312 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



At Munich, the young students were stimulated 

 by the presence of many noted men. Dollinger 

 lectured on comparative anatomy ; Schelling, on 

 philosophy; Oken, on natural history, physiology, 

 and zoology ; Martius, on botany. 9 Agassiz and 

 Braun roomed in Dollinger's house. This room 

 soon became the intellectual centre for the bright 

 men of the college, and was called "the little 

 academy." Here different students gave lectures, 

 each on his special subject of study ; the professors, 

 even, coming as listeners. 



" In that room," said Agassiz, years later, " I 

 made all the skeletons represented on the plates of 

 Wagler's ' Natural System of Keptiles ' ; there I 

 once received the great anatomist Meckel, sent to 

 me by Dollinger to examine my anatomical prepa- 

 rations, and especially the many fish-skeletons I 

 had made from fresh-water fishes. By my side 

 were constantly at work two artists ; one engaged 

 in drawing various objects of natural history, the 

 other in drawing fossil fishes. I kept always one, 

 and sometimes two artists, in my pay. It was not 

 easy, with an allowance of two hundred and fifty 

 dollars a year ; but they were even poorer than I, 

 and so we managed to get along together. My 

 microscope I had earned by writing." Poor Agas- 

 siz ! he was yet to see greater pecuniary trials than 

 this. 



Says Mr. Dinkel, one of the artists who worked 

 with Agassiz for many years : " I soon found my- 

 self engaged four or five hours almost daily in 



