CHAPTER VI. 



THE YOUNG AUTHOR. 



Influence of Von Martins — Offer of the Work Left by Spix — Hesita- 

 tion and Motive — An Intended Surprise — Discovery — First Art- 

 ists — Scholarly Men as Intimates — Consent of Parents to a Sci- 

 entific Career. 



F all the professors un- 

 der whom Agassiz 

 studied at Munich none 

 influenced him and his 

 future life more than 

 the genial Von Martius, 

 whose stories of ad- 

 venture and incident in 

 foreign climes had the 

 greatest charm for the 

 young students. Von 

 Martius had enjoyed su- 

 perior facilities and the 

 friendship of the King of Bavaria, who in 1817 sent 

 him and Spix to Brazil to explore the country in the 

 interest of science. Von Martius made a specialty of 

 plants, and after his return published a finely illus- 

 trated volume upon his discoveries, while Spix issued 

 works on the mammals, birds, and reptiles. 



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