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8 Louis Agassi z. 



that the clergyman determined that his son should 

 have all the educational advantages attainable ; and 

 at the age of ten we find young Agassiz entered as 

 a student at the college of Bienne, twenty miles from 

 Motier, enthusiastic to begin what he considered his 

 real education. The first year at this college, which 

 was conducted by Mr. Rickly, was one of hard 

 study ; the daily work requiring nine hours, though 

 the teachers saw that there was an abundance of out- 

 door recreation, so that the pupils, despite the long 

 study hours, became vigorous and rugged. 



After a year Agassiz was joined at college by his 

 younger brother Auguste, whose tastes in many 

 ways were similar to his own. A more delightful 

 companionship between brothers can hardly be 

 imagined. When the schooldays ended at the vint- 

 age, which was a festival as now in some portions of 

 Switzerland, they together started for home early in 

 the morning, thinking nothing of the twenty-mile 

 walk. The vacation was spent either at Motier or 

 with the kindly old grandfather Mayor at Cudrefin, 

 where some festival was always to be expected and 

 looked forward to. The boyhood of Agassiz was 

 passed in a time when the simple life of the peas- 

 antry had not been invaded by modern common- 

 place, and there was an air of romance about the 

 very ordinary things in life. Even the picking of 

 the grape was invested with a picturesqueness it does 

 not now possess, and was the season of joy and 

 gaiety. Easter was an especially festive occasion. 

 Easter eggs were in vogue then as now, and a singu- 

 lar game was played to determine who should be 



