"8 PASTEUR 



scientific experiments, had repeated in his apartments 

 in the Tuileries the observations of Pasteur on the 

 silkworm disease, and had verified the accuracy of his 

 conclusions. He suggested to the Emperor that the 

 Villa Vicentina, a property belonging to 'the Prince 

 Imperial, should be placed at Pasteur's disposal for 

 further research. This villa, situated a few miles 

 from Trieste, belonged at one time to the Princess 

 Elise, one of the sisters of Napoleon I., who had lived 

 quietly there after the fall of the First Empire. On 

 her death it passed to her daughter, the Princess 

 Baciocchi, and she in turn bequeathed it to the Prince 

 Imperial. It had been a great centre of the silkworn 

 industry ; but for some years no cocoons had been 

 produced, owing to the ravages of the disease. 



By short stages, owing to his precarious health, 

 Pasteur made his way to Illyria, taking with him 

 some sound silk-moth eggs, and during the winter 

 not only confirmed his previous researches, but re- 

 established the industry on such a scale that in the 

 following spring the sale of cocoons from this estate 

 alone reached the figure of 26,940 francs. During this 

 winter he dictated to his wife the classic book in 

 which he recorded the results of his last five years' 

 work. Pasteur returned to Paris through Munich, 

 where he had the pleasure of meeting Liebig, one of 

 the most determined of his adversaries. Although he 

 was unable to induce the German savant to discuss 

 scientific affairs, he always dwelt with pleasure on the 

 courtesy and cordiality with which he was received. 



On his return the Emperor nominated him a Senator 

 for life ; but, before the gazette appeared in which the 

 nomination would have been recorded, war was de- 

 clared. From his birth Pasteur had been an ardent 

 patriot, and during the progress of the war he suffered 

 acutely. So much did he feel the reverses of his 

 country, and what he regarded as the undue harsh- 



