THE BIOGRAPHY OF AGASSIZ 185 



out examination. They filled many trunks. From 

 this mass I have preserved all that I thought of 

 the least biographical interest much that I prob- 

 ably shall not use. Beside the arranging of this 

 manuscript it has been necessary for me to make a 

 careful review of his early works. Of course [for] 

 the technical scientific work I am entirely incom- 

 petent. I cannot even understand it. I try to grasp 

 the larger generalizations, the ideas underlying the 

 whole, and to see when these thoughts first dawned 

 upon him how early in life the outline of his 

 intellectual work was sketched out and how it was 

 gradually filled in. This I strive to do. He himself 

 helped me to understand it indeed he gave into 

 my hand the key to his intellectual history. The tech- 

 nical work I mean the critical revision of his in- 

 vestigations in detail I should, of course, leave to 

 Alex. However, as far as possible I shall let the letters 

 write the biography ; we have many, and they make 

 in themselves, if judiciously put together, a coher- 

 ent narrative. But you will easily understand, 

 knowing as you do and following with such sympa- 

 thy our domestic life, how difficult it has been for 

 me to go on connectedly and rapidly with my work. 

 Of course the care of my three boys (Alex's chil- 

 dren) occupies me very much. 



TO AUGUSTE MAYOR 



Nahant, September 17, 1877 



THE number of the Revue Suisse containing the 

 Memoir of M. Ernest Favre upon Agassiz only 



