316 LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



Louis ? Will it not be as good as to see his pre- 

 scription at the apothecary's ? It is true that this 

 first effort will bring me in but little ; nothing at 

 all, in fact, because M. de Martins has assumed 

 all the expenses, and will, of course, receive the 

 profits. My share will be a few copies of the book, 

 and these I shall give to the friends who have the 

 first claim." 



He writes to his father, as though half apolo- 

 gizing for the fact that he is writing a book on natu- 

 ral history, at the same time showing the real 

 purpose of his life : " I wish it may be said of 

 Louis Agassiz that he was the first naturalist of 

 his time, a good citizen, and a good son, beloved of 

 those who knew him. I feel within myself the 

 strength of a whole generation to work toward 

 this end, and I will reach it if the means are not 

 wanting." 



Thus early in life he had fixed the mark to 

 which he would attain, " the first naturalist of his 

 time." No wonder he succeeded, when he felt 

 within himself "the strength of a whole genera- 

 tion to work toward this end." 



In the summer of 1829, when he was twenty-two, 

 the first part of the " Brazilian Fishes " was pub- 

 lished, and a copy sent to the fond parents. Good 

 M. Agassiz wrote back: "I have no terms in 

 which to express the pleasure it has given me. In 

 two words, for I have only a moment to myself, I 

 repeat my urgent entreaty that you would hasten 

 your return as much as possible. . . . The old 



