FOR THE NATIONAL WEALTH 97 



from his window Pasteur could see the foun- 

 dations beginning to rise. The hope of soon 

 being able to recommence his experiments with 

 the help of material means such as he had long 

 desired hastened his cure. While he rested his 

 body he went into a sort of spiritual retire- 

 ment. He read, or had read to him, the 

 Thoughts of Pascal, The Knowledge of God 

 and of Oneself, and the Works of Nicole. This 

 man of science, unique in his qualities as an ex- 

 perimenter, who would abandon any and every 

 theory in the face of facts, always separated 

 science from Faith, and it is known that he was 

 a practical Catholic to the day of his death. 



As soon as he could be removed Pasteur 

 wished to return to the south of France, in or- 

 der to continue his study of silk-worms, and 

 clear up certain points which seemed to him to 

 be still obscure. He disregarded all suggestions 

 of prudence, and, in spite of his weakened con- 

 dition, he installed himself, in January, 

 1869, at Saint-Hippolyte-du-Pont, near Alais. 

 Shortly after his arrival Pasteur, who still 



