186 



SCIENCE. 



[N. S. Vol. III. No. 58, 



he has done in his chosen field of scientific 

 investigation. With that penetrating intel- 

 lect and versatility of resource which con- 

 stitutes genius was combined an energy and 

 persistence of purpose, a disregard of ac- 

 cepted theories not supported by evidence, 

 and an appreciation of the value of the ex- 

 perimental method as the only reliable 

 means of arriving at exact truth. No 

 amount of conservative opposition intimi- 

 dated him when he announced results ob- 

 tained by his carefully conducted laboratory 

 experiments, and no false pride seduced 

 him into maintaining a position which he 

 had once taken, if the experimental evi- 

 dence was against him. This rarely hap- 

 hened. But where is the man of science 

 who is infallible ? Working in a new field 

 by methods largely of his own devising, 

 which were necessarily more or less imper- 

 fect at the outset, it is surpising how few 

 mistakes he made. 



With his genius for scientific research, 

 his indomitable perseverance and the force- 

 ful character which enabled him to defend 

 his discoveries so successfully, there must 

 have been associated a kindly disposition ; 

 for those who were closely associated with 

 him in his laboratory work were devotedly 

 attached to him. He evidently had the 

 faculty of inspiring others with his enthu- 

 siasm for science, and their loyalty to him 

 and to their common mistress was rewarded 

 by the frank acknowledgement on his part 

 of their share in the work accomplished. 

 So far as I am aware, he never showed any 

 disposition to appropriate for himself credit 

 due to another, whether that other was an 

 associate or pupil in his own laboratory or 

 one who was prosecuting his investigations 

 elsewhere. The speaker's personal acquaint- 

 ance with Pasteur is limited to a memor- 

 able half day spent in his laboratory about 

 ten years ago. Although still disabled to 

 some extent by paralysis, resulting from his 

 first apoplectic attack, he conducted m 



through his laboratory, and with the great- 

 est kindness explained to me the methods 

 in use and the results recently accomplished 

 in the lines of experimental work which at 

 that time occupied the attention of himself 

 and his colleagues. 



The time at my disposal will permit only 

 a brief review of the life and work of this 

 illustrious savant; but this review will 

 show that his scientific achievements are of 

 the highest order, and that the practical 

 benefits resulting from his labors have ex- 

 tended to all parts of the civilized world. 

 He belongs not alone to France, but to 

 science, and it is eminently fitting that we 

 should pay a tribute to his memory in this 

 capital city of a country in which his name 

 is so well known and in which the results 

 of his scientific investigations are so highly 

 appreciated. 



Louis Pasteur was born at Dole, a small 

 town in the Department of Jura, France, 

 on the 27th of December, 1822 ; he died at 

 his home in Garches, a suburb of Paris, on 

 the 28th of September of the past year. 



Pasteur's father had been a soldier in the 

 army of Napoleon, but at the time of his 

 famous son's birth was working at his trade 

 as a tanner. In 1825 the family moved to 

 Arbois, a small town in the same depart- 

 ment, and here Louis Pasteur attended 

 school at the college communal. Later he 

 was sent to the college at Besangon, where 

 he took his degree of the Bachelier des Lettres. 

 He subsequently entered the Ecole Nor- 

 male of Paris, and while there devoted him- 

 to his favorite study — chemistry. Three 

 years after joining the Ecole Normale he 

 was appointed Assistant Professor of Physi- 

 cal Science. In 1848 he was appointed 

 Professor of Physics at Dijon, and after a 

 few months resigned this position for the 

 chair of chemistry in the University of 

 Strassburg. In 1854 Pasteur was induced 

 to accept the position of Dean of the newly 

 created Faculty of Sciences at Lille ; and in 



