84 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 
stood Agassiz with his blackboard. When the Emperor 
entered we all rose and remained standing until he 
made a motion for us to sit down. Now you know, my 
dear friends, that I have a weakness for my dear old 
philosopher, and I must say that I never saw him 
appear to better advantage in my life. He spoke with 
perfect ease, and though I have always thought that 
he expressed himself well and often eloquently in 
English, I felt that he would have been a more grace- 
ful lecturer in French. The room was crammed and 
even the entry. I saw ladies standing outside the door 
the whole time. Altogether it was a great success. 
There is to be another next week. 
June 12 
Last evening was Agassiz’s second lecture. The crowd 
was even greater than before and the Emperor sanc- 
tioned the presence of ladies by bringing his wife and 
daughter with him. These letters are intended only for 
you all at home, so I put in all sorts of personal de- 
tails that I know will interest you, but would seem 
egotistical to any one else. I wish you could hear 
Agassiz lecture in French. I had not the least idea 
that English was so like fetters to him. In French 
the words pour out like a full river without let or 
hindrance. On the two evenings when he has spoken 
there has not been one moment’s hesitation from the 
first word to the last. For the first time in my life I feel 
what a drawback it must have been to him to have 
to teach in a foreign language. The people here seem 
enchanted. The room was so hot last night that except 
{for us] distinguished people, “Emperors and sich,” 
