A LABORIOUS YOUTH 21 



While still a student he already felt the need 

 of proselytising; he wanted to disseminate the 

 science which he was acquiring at the cost of so 

 much energy. So, in addition to tutoring the 

 pupils at the Pension Barbet, he appointed 

 himself professor to his own family, his father 

 and sisters. He gave them problems to solve, 

 he expounded scientific theories for their bene- 

 fit, and he infused into all this correspondence 

 the ardour of a young apostle. If they ill un- 

 derstood the significance of his problems, and if 

 the explanations- which he furnished seemed 

 too difficult to be grasped by minds that did not 

 have the advantage of a scientific training, he 

 would encourage them affectionately, and point 

 out the high and noble necessity of constant 

 effort. It was a debt of gratitude that he was 

 gladly paying to his family, whose sacrifices 

 had permitted him to obtain an education, and 

 this touching role of the distinguished son and 

 brother giving instruction from a distance to 

 his aged father and young sisters reveals the 

 bigness of his heart. 



