310 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



stuff fishes, and then we intend to make a collec- 

 tion of all the 'native kinds. Many other useful 

 things he knows ; speaks German and French 

 equally well, English and Italian fairly, so that I 

 have already appointed him to be my interpreter on 

 some future vacation trip to Italy. He is well 

 acquainted with ancient languages also, and studies 

 medicine besides." 



Schirnper, another brilliant botanist, was a friend 

 of both Braun and Agassiz. The professor in 

 zoology, Leuckart, was very fond of these bright 

 pupils, and allowed himself to be gotten up at 

 seven in the morning, to give them extra lectures. 



When vacation came, Braun took Agassiz to his 

 home ; a cultured place, rich in books, music, and 

 collections of plants and animals. Agassiz was 

 very happy there ; possibly the happiness was 

 increased by the fact that Braun had a lovely and 

 artistic sister, Cecile. Agassiz wrote home, "My 

 happiness would be perfect were it not for the pain- 

 ful thought which pursues me everywhere, that I 

 live on your privations ; yet it is impossible for me 

 to diminish my expenses further. You would lift 

 a great weight from my heart if you could relieve 

 yourself of this burden by an arrangement with 

 my uncle at Neuchatel. . . . Otherwise I am well, 

 going on as usual, always working as hard as I can, 

 and I believe all the professors whose lectures I 

 attend are satisfied with me." 



In the spring of 1827, when Agassiz was twenty, 

 he was taken ill of typhus fever, and it was 



