A Great Preparation 



failed to stir, is that which was accorded him 

 by the little Society which gathers about the 

 belfry of Rodez the intellectual elite of his 

 own country-side. 



The records of the Societe des lettres, sci- 

 ences et arts de I'Aveyron contain, in the min- 

 utes of the session of the 27th October 19 10, 

 a communication from the president of the 

 Society which closes with the words : 



In order to associate ourselves in some fashion 

 with the unanimous bestowal of honours and eulogy 

 of which this venerable old man is at present the 

 recipient, we propose to accord him the title of 

 honorary member. It is the highest distinction at 

 our disposal, and we think he will accept it with 

 sympathy. 



Needless to say that the whole assembly 

 accepted their president's proposal with en- 

 thusiasm and by acclamation. Some time 

 later the famous naturalist wrote to the So- 

 ciety, through his present biographer, a 

 touching letter of thanks, in which he said, 

 among other things, that, coming from his 

 own country, this distinction had been very 

 precious to him. The delicate feeling ex- 

 pressed in these words gives us to hope that 

 the contribution to the work of reparation 

 which we have sought to make will not be 

 without some value in his eyes. 



365 



