298 HAECKEL 



some years realised that world-fame somehow 

 attached to the straight, smiling figure that it saw 

 passing daily to the Zoological Institute. It had 

 witnessed the grave procedure of the boycot in the 

 sixties. It had heard distinguished leaders of 

 Churches, like Professor Michelis, brand his works 

 as "a fleck of shame on the escutcheon of 

 Germany," '* an attack on the foundations of 

 religion and morality," '' a symptom of senile 

 marasmus." It saw all these unworthy attacks 

 sink into confusion, and a new era begin. It 

 heard of greater universities competing for their 

 professor and his refusal to leave them. It saw 

 Bismarck fall on his neck and kiss him repeatedly 

 when, in 1892, he headed the deputation to invite 

 him to Jena ; and it noted how the Prince abso- 

 lutely refused to drive through their town " unless 

 Haeckel comes with me " in the carriage. It 

 gave his name proudly to one of its fine new 

 streets. 



In February, 1894, Jena witnessed a remarkable 

 celebration — remarkable not only to those who 

 had lived with him in the sixties. A marble 

 bust of Haeckel was unveiled by Professor Hert- 

 wig, with noble speech, in the Zoological Institute. 

 A festive dinner, such as Germans alone can 

 conduct, was held in the famous Luther-Hostel. 

 More than a thousand letters and telegrams 

 poured in from all parts of the world, and scores 

 of journals awoke the interest of Germany. I 

 have before me the privately-published report on 

 the celebration, autographed to *' Agnes Haeckel." 



