FIRST YEARS IN AMERICA 21 



devoted himself to the study of the knowable, and left 

 groping among the intangibles to others. With this 

 trend of mind, with too fearless a nature, and of too 

 sturdy a morality to feel the need of religious support, 

 it is natural that he early adopted an attitude toward 

 the infinite now so common among scientific men. His 

 views on religious matters are perhaps best illustrated 

 by Huxley's well-known opinions on such questions, for 

 Agassiz had almost as little sympathy with the specula- 

 tions of Haeckel as with the most orthodox dogmas. 



Those were the days of small classes, when it was 

 possible to know all one's classmates and to be intimate 

 with many. Although younger than his companions, 

 he was a great favorite with them, and was known by 

 the name of " Swiss." He entered with much enthus- 

 iasm into the theatricals of the Hasty Pudding Club, 

 where among its archives many of his posters and draw- 

 ings are still preserved. As president of the Natural 

 History Society he took a considerable interest in its 

 meetings. 



It is an evidence of his many-sidedness, that, too 

 poor to accept an election to the Porcellian Club while 

 in college, he was after graduating made an honorary 

 member of that institution, noted for its good fellow- 

 ship and esprit de corps, where natural history was 

 seldom the topic of conversation. 



Agassiz was of medium height, dark, and at that time 

 rather slight, though remarkably powerful and active. 

 There is still in existence an enormous pair of Indian 

 clubs, so heavy that the average man can hardly hold 

 them at arm's length, which he used to swing. Then as 

 now regattas and examinations were apt to conflict, and 

 his fondness for rowing may in part account for his 



