LOUIS AGASSIZ. 315 



before you talk with us about it. Begin by reach- 

 ing your first aim, a physician's and surgeon's 

 diploma. . . . My own philosophy is to fulfil my 

 duties in my sphere, and even that gives me more 

 than I can do." Fortunately Louis Agassiz did 

 not possess the kind of philosophy that brings con- 

 tent in a small parish on a Swiss lake ; his sphere 

 was to be the world, and two continents were to be 

 proud of him. 



In 1817, the King of Bavaria had sent two natu- 

 ralists. M. Martius and M. Spix, on an exploring 

 expedition to Brazil. They returned in four years, 

 laden with treasures. M. Martius issued colored 

 illustrations of all the unknown plants he had col- 

 lected, and M. Spix several volumes on the mon- 

 keys, birds, and reptiles of Brazil. He had in- 

 tended to give a complete natural history of Brazil, 

 but died before his work was finished. Martius 

 asked Agassiz to continue the work of Spix, in the 

 line of fishes. 



Agassiz writes to his sister Cecile : " I hesitated 

 for a long time to accept this honorable offer, fear- 

 ing that the occupation might withdraw me too 

 much from my studies ; but, on the other hand, the 

 opportunity for laying the foundation of a reputa- 

 tion by a large undertaking seemed too favorable 

 to be refused. The first volume is already finished, 

 and the printing was begun some weeks ago. . . . 

 Already forty colored folio plates are completed. 

 Will it not seem strange when the largest and 

 finest book in papa's library is one written by his 



