VIII. 



IT was in 1842 that Agassiz began to 

 think of going to America, where he did 

 go four years later. He had hoped to 

 accompany the Prince of Canino (one 

 of several scientific men produced by the 

 house of Bonaparte) 5 but, as it turned 

 out, the prince was prevented, and 

 Agassiz went alone in 1846. The plan 

 had three aspects as finances progressed 

 from bad to worse. At first it was 

 a vacation scheme, at Agassiz' s own 

 expense and for his pleasure ; then the 

 prince offered to pay the expenses; and, 

 finally, it became a forlorn hope for the 

 raising of funds to discharge Agassiz 7 s 

 increasing debt. The time was not yet 

 when a celebrated man could gain a fort- 

 une in a summer by exhibiting himself 

 upon American platforms ; but still lect- 

 urers were better paid here than in 

 Europe, and Agassiz believed that he 

 might regain his pecuniary credit, with- 



