12 PASTEUR 



thing else in this world depends. By means 

 of knowledge we raise ourselves above every- 

 body else. . . . But I hope that you do not 

 need this advice, and I am sure that every day 

 you sacrifice many a moment to studying your 

 grammar. Love each other as I love you, while 

 awaiting the happy day when I shall be admit- 

 ted to the Ecole Normale" (January 26, 1840). 

 There we have the whole ambition of this 

 young philosopher. He admired and respected 

 his teachers, and he dreamed of nothing else 

 than to become a professor in his turn and ful- 

 fil towards others that fine and noble duty of 

 enlightening and training other minds. His ap- 

 plication to his studies was rewarded. On Au- 

 gust 29th, 1840, he successfully passed, at 

 Besangon, his examinations for the degree of 

 bachelor of letters. This was his first degree, 

 but he was destined to follow it up by obtain- 

 ing in later years every degree that the Univer- 

 sity has within its gift ; for this incarnate spirit 

 of innovation, this revolutionary genius, so to 

 speak, had a deep respect for degrees and func- 



