42 



Louis Agassiz. 



ing the publication of a work on fossil fishes which 

 would materially interfere with his own plans. He 

 had a faint hope that Cuvier would turn his work 

 over to him or possibly invite him to join in the 

 authorship ; and to equip himself as well as possible 

 he had obtained all necessary data and material 

 before going to Paris. Agassiz, who could not brook 

 the slightest delay, upon the very first day of his 

 arrival in Paris took his manuscript to the scientist 

 and explained what he had done. He was gratified 

 to find that Cuvier was surprised and pleased, and 

 far from having any feeling that the young naturalist 

 was encroaching upon his domain, he gave Agassiz 

 access to his treasures, and when assured of his 

 capability renounced his own work and handed 

 over his notes on British and other fossil fishes, 

 requesting Agassiz to make full use of them. 



That Agassiz was delighted need not be said, as 

 for a young man to be given the confidence of the 

 greatest scientist of the day was indeed an honour. 

 It did not turn the head of the young Swiss, however ; 

 its effect was to spur him on to still greater effort 

 and to impress upon his mind the fact that there was 

 more than ever need for him to work and render 

 himself a credit to those who placed this implicit 

 confidence in him. His duty to himself, to the 

 world, to become a great teacher of science was 

 never lost sight of, and shortly after this he wrote 

 to the loved ones at home : I work regularly 

 fifteen hours a day, sometimes even an hour or two 

 more, but I hope to reach my goal in good time.'' 



His daily life now and his association with Cuvier 



