102 LOUIS AGASSIZ 



rate prospectus was issued in 1855, and 

 subscriptions poured in from all parts of 

 the country. The enthusiasm shown by 

 the public surprised even Agassiz, who 

 found the cost of the work guaranteed be- 

 forehand, in happy contrast to the Fossil 

 Fishes. It was largely from the unlearned 

 average class of readers that money was 

 promised him ; and he strongly felt the 

 obligation toward that class, and avoided 

 technical words whenever this was possi- 

 ble. Warned by experience perhaps, he 

 had planned that each volume should be 

 complete in itself, so that anything which 

 might prevent completion of the whole 

 work should not injure the separate parts. 

 This precaution was well justified, as only 

 four of the ten volumes were ever written. 

 The reason of course was that a thousand 

 other things were crying out to be done, 

 and that in particular he grew more and 

 more absorbed in the great Museum 

 which stands at Harvard to-day as the 

 direct result of his labours. 



