OCTOBEB 16, 1885 ] 



SCIENCE. 



advised the boy to abandon the thought of a com- 

 mercial life, toward which he had been pointed, 

 and in place thereof, to prepare for the medical 

 profession. Two years were next spent in Zm-ich; 

 and at the age of nineteen Agassiz was enrolled at 

 Heidelberg. Several letters pertaining to this 

 period are given. Here it was that by the intro- 

 duction of Tiedemann, he became acquainted with 

 one of the most valued friends of his whole life, 

 Alexander Braun, afterward director of the 

 botanical gardens in Berlin. "Braun learned 

 zoology from Agassiz, and he in his turn learned 

 botany from Braun ; " and so it came to pass that 

 through life "Braun knew more of zoology than 

 most botanists, and Agassiz combined an extensive 

 knowledge of botany with that of the animal 

 kingdom." Karl Schimper was another friend of 

 this period. Leuckart and Bischoff were his favor- 

 ite teachers, but Tiedemann, Braun, and Nageli 

 were also valued instructors. We do not recall in 

 biographical literature a more interesting account 

 of the development of a naturalist's youth than is 

 given in this ope nin g chapter. Every teacher of 

 boys ought to read it, for it illustrates the impor- 

 tance of discovering the bent of a young mind, 

 and of affording it the requisite opportunities. 



A far more stimulating life than that at Heidel- 

 berg awaited Agassiz, Braun, and Schimper in 

 Munich, where Dollinger, Martins, Schelling, and 

 Oken, were among their eminent teachers. For this 

 period Mrs. Agassiz has brought together the let- 

 ters interchanged between the student and his 

 ch'cle at home. Nothing could be better than the 

 glimpses which they afford of the university in- 

 fluences surrounding a youth of twenty-one, in 

 vacation and in term-time. ' The Httle academy ' 

 which was constituted by Agassiz and his com- 

 rades, has become historical. But more interest- 

 ing than anything else in this part of the memoir 

 is the draft of a letter from Agassiz to Cuvier, 

 which has been preserved, although nobody can 

 now tell whether it was actually sent to the eminent 

 man in Paris, whom Agassiz wished to consult 

 with reference to his future career. He tells what 

 he has done and what he wishes to do, and he 

 brings his confession to a close in these words : — 

 "I seem to myself made to be a travelling natu- 

 ralist. I only need to regulate the impetuosity 

 which carries me away. I beg you then to be my 

 guide." If Cuvier did not receive this letter, he 

 did receive the work on BraziUan fishes dedicated 

 to him by Martins and Agassiz, and his acknowl- 

 edgment is preserved and printed. The story of 

 Agassiz's youth is brought to a close by an auto- 

 biographical sketch which he once dictated, and 

 " which forms a sort of summary of his intellectu- 

 al life \x\) to this date." 



The next chapter tells of his actual acquaintance 

 with Cuvier and his prosecution of the study of 

 natural history in Paris under great pecuniary 

 limitations and anxieties. Here we read the ro- 

 mance of education. One day Cuvier asked 

 Agassiz to do something, saying, "you are young ; 

 you have time enough for it ; and I have none 

 to spare." This task proved a legacy. They 

 worked together till eleven o'clock, when they 

 paused for breakfast ; and then resumed their 

 occupations until dinner-time, when Agassiz ex- 

 cused himself. Cuvier told him that he was quite 

 right not to neglect his regular hours for meals, 

 and commended his devotion to study, but he 

 added, ' Be careful and remember that work kills.'' 

 ' ' They were the last words Agassiz heard from his 

 beloved teacher. The next day, as Cuvier was go- 

 ing up to the tribune in the Chamber of depu- 

 ties, he fell, was taken up paralyzed and carried 

 home. Agassiz never saw him again." 



With Humboldt, as weU as with Cuvier, Agassiz 

 became acquainted in Paris, and was greatly en- 

 couraged by his friendUness. Offers were made 

 to Agassiz to remain in Paris, but Humboldt ad- 

 vised him to accept a professorship in Neuf chatel. 

 This he did in 1832,when he was twenty-five years 

 old, and then his independent life began. Teach- 

 ing became " a passion with him, and his power 

 over his pupils might be measured by his own en- 

 thusiasm." " From the beginning his success as an 

 instructor was undoubted." ' ' The little town sud- 

 denly became a centre of scientific activity," and 

 the young professor's name was so favorably 

 known that he was soon called to a chau' in Hei- 

 delberg, which he could not make up Ms mind to 

 accept. In 1833, he married Cecile, the sister of 

 Alexander Braun. 



During the ten years following (1833-1843) 

 Agassiz was engaged upon the great work of his 

 early life, the ' Researches on fossil fishes.' Offers 

 of cooperation came to him from noted investiga- 

 tors, and he was known in all the museums of 

 Europe as an indefatigable worker and collector. 

 The first American subscriptions to his great work 

 were received through Benjamin SiUiman ; in 

 Germany, Humboldt continued to be his adviser 

 and friend ; the WoUaston medal was awarded 

 him in London. In 1836, 'a new and brilliant 

 chapter of his life was opened,' — the researches 

 upon glacial action, — and he presently startled the 

 Helvetic association " by the presentation of a 

 glacial theory in which the local erratic phenome- 

 na of the Swiss valleys assumed a cosmic sig- 

 nificance." 



Agassiz was now driving all liis steeds abreast ; 

 besides Ms professorial duties he was prmting Ms 

 ' Fossil fishes,' Ms ' Fresh water fishes,' and Ms 



