LATER YEARS 415 



Peabody Museum of Archaeology, the building originally 

 hoped for by the elder Agassiz. 



In speaking of this event, one of his scientific col- 

 leagues, in close touch with the Museum, writes Agassiz : — 



" You are always exciting surprise and admiration. 

 Your stupendous scientific achievements are recognized 

 as equal in amount to many men together, and you 

 have achieved these results of the highest order under 

 conditions of peculiar difficulty. Besides this, you have 

 conducted successfully one of the greatest of the indus- 

 tries on our continent, in itself a work demanding the 

 energy and undivided attention of many men. And yet 

 you have carried on this work in the midst of your 

 scientific research. 



"Now comes the greatest surprise of all, namely, that 

 you have laid aside the memory of slights and annoy- 

 ances and antagonisms, and have decided to complete 

 the museum. This seems to me unrivalled magnanimity. 

 I regret that my absence prevents me from going down 

 to Newport to say so in person, and to assure you that 

 this action appeals to me as exhibiting the highest type 

 of character." 



The corner piece of the Museum was finished in 1902 ; 

 when Agassiz accepted the honorary directorship of the 

 entire University Museum. The opening of the new 

 addition was celebrated by a gathering, at the invitation 

 of the University authorities, of all those who were for 

 any reason interested in the Museum, every one in any 

 way connected with its development, old pupils of the 

 elder Agassiz, and a large collection of the friends of 

 the younger. Agassiz gave a short account of the his- 

 tory of the Museum from the days when his father kept 



