MRS. AGASSIZ 



Beside his classes at the gymnasium, Agassiz 

 collected about him, by invitation, a small 

 audience of friends and neighbors, to whom he 

 lectured during the winter on botany, on 

 zoology, on the philosophy of nature. The 

 instruction was of the most familiar and in- 

 formal character, and was continued in later 

 years for his own children and the children of 

 his friends. In the latter case the subjects 

 were chiefly geology and geography in con- 

 nection with botany, and in favorable weather 

 the lessons were usually given in the open air. 

 . . . From some high ground affording a wide 

 panoramic view Agassiz would explain to them 

 the formation of lakes, islands, rivers, springs, 

 water-sheds, hills, and valleys. . . . 



When it was impossible to give the lessons out 

 of doors, the children were gathered around a 

 large table, where each one had before him or 

 her the specimens of the day, sometimes stones 

 and fossils, sometimes flowers, fruits, or dried 

 plants. To each child in succession was ex- 

 plained separately what had first been told to 

 all collectively. . . . The children took their 

 own share in the instruction, and were them- 



[8] 



