84 ELIZABETH GARY AGASSIZ 



stood Agassiz with his blackboard. When the Emperor 

 entered we all rose and remained standing until he 

 made a motion for us to sit down. Now you know, my 

 dear friends, that I have a weakness for my dear old 

 philosopher, and I must say that I never saw him 

 appear to better advantage in my life. He spoke with 

 perfect ease, and though I have always thought that 

 he expressed himself well and often eloquently in 

 English, I felt that he would have been a more grace- 

 ful lecturer in French. The room was crammed and 

 even the entry. I saw ladies standing outside the door 

 the whole time. Altogether it was a great success. 

 There is to be another next week. 



June 12 



LAST evening was Agassiz's second lecture. The crowd 

 was even greater than before and the Emperor sanc- 

 tioned the presence of ladies by bringing his wife and 

 daughter with him. These letters are intended only for 

 you all at home, so I put in all sorts of personal de- 

 tails that I know will interest you, but would seem 

 egotistical to any one else. I wish you could hear 

 Agassiz lecture in French. I had not the least idea 

 that English was so like fetters to him. In French 

 the words pour out like a full river without let or 

 hindrance. On the two evenings when he has spoken 

 there has not been one moment's hesitation from the 

 first word to the last. For the first time in my life I feel 

 what a drawback it must have been to him to have 

 to teach in a foreign language. The people here seem 

 enchanted. The room was so hot last night that except 

 [for us] distinguished people, "Emperors and sich," 



