LIFE OF ELIE METCHNIKOFF 145 



never failed to express the pleasure he felt at coming 

 home. " How pure the air is ! How green the grass ! 

 What peace ! You see, if I did not go to Paris to work 

 I should not be so aUve to the charm of Sevres and the 

 pleasure of rest." He used to come home at seven and 

 do no more work ; it was his daily rest. He then gave 

 himself up to complete relaxation, joked, related the 

 incidents of the day, spoke of his researches, planned 

 experiments for the next day, read aloud part of the 

 evening and then listened to music, not only because 

 he liked it, but also because he wanted to " switch 

 on to another line," i.e. rest his mind completely. 



He was an incomparable companion, always alive 

 and communicative, generously giving out the trea- 

 sures of his heart and his intelligence. He liked a 

 simple life ; all artifice, all convention displeased 

 him. He disliked luxury in his person to that 

 extent that he never . consented to possess a gold 

 watch nor any object with no particular use. His only 

 luxury was to gratify others. He enjoyed peaceful 

 family life and a circle of intimate friends. Yet, 

 appreciating as he did aU serious manifestations of 

 life, he was glad to have the opportiuiity of meeting 

 people who were interesting either in themselves or for 

 the knowledge which they could impart. 



In Life as in Science he found precepts to help 

 the evolution of his moral and philosophical ideas, 

 which he placed in their turn at Life's service. If he 

 could not solve a problem, he at least pointed out its 

 importance. 



His attentive penetration of things in themselves, 

 coupled with a creative imagination, was the force 

 which enabled him to open out new prospects and 

 new paths. 



L 



