33 



dent as science extends its discoveries and widens its field. 

 He rather whimsically lamented that there are no glaciers 

 in eastern North America. His first publications in 

 Europe were upon glaciers and their action. He contin- 

 ued his investigations throughout his life, though his spec- 

 ial field was natural history. He was constantly drawn 

 from embryological and zoological studies to contemplation 

 of that period in geologic time when those great "plow 

 shares of God " — moving continents of ice, — were hollow- 

 ing out the lake beds, smoothing the surface of the earth 

 and preparing it by glacial deposit for the coining of man. 

 With equal facility his great mind turned from investiga- 

 ting the sublime phenomena evident in the building of a 

 world to a consideration of the structure of the minutest 

 animalcule that inhabits it. 



There are many lessons in the life of Agassiz. There 

 is one to young men entering upon life with high aspira- 

 tions and great embarrassments. He wrote before com- 

 ing to America, "I shall be obliged to live very eco- 

 nomically. My work thus far has rewarded me so well 

 for the privations which I have suffered that I have no 

 temptation to adopt another style of life, even if I have 

 more trouble to live in America than in Europe." We 

 have seen with what frank gratitude he acknowledged 

 Humboldt's invitation to a dinner which was beyond his 

 straitened means, with what heroic spirit he looked for- 

 ward to yet greater privations. We have also seen him 

 when his reputation was co-extensive with civilization 

 and all the avenues to ease and affluence invitingly open 

 before him, still pressing on the same earnest, unbribed 

 student of nature, with " no time to make money." 



There is a lesson to educated Americans, who seek in 

 foreign lands the facilities for research and culture in 

 science which may be better found at home. Writing to 

 Prof. Sillirnan before he had visited this country Agassiz 

 said " I have truly need to replenish myself anew in the 

 fields and I hope to reap a rich harvest for science in 

 America." The great museums, libraries, galleries' and 



