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Louis Agassiz. 



their abundant stores of knowledge to the humble 

 as to the rich. 



We cannot yet measure the full value of this new 

 means of diffusing the results and methods of scien- 

 tific investigations. It humanises and expands the 

 minds of men of power whose business, habits, and 

 pursuits have kept them apart from study since their 

 school-boy days ; it quickens the memory of the 

 student and reader; and from the humbler walks of 

 life it will call out the latent talent of many a gifted 

 but timid youth, whose instincts and aspirations 

 would have been chilled by the esoteric system of / 

 the old formal school. 



In the introduction of this method of popularising 

 science, it was peculiarly fortunate that Agassiz had 

 the rare power of stating so clearly and so logically, 

 and of illustrating so rapidly and cleverly, the pro- 

 cesses and deductions of his investigations. It was 

 all new knowledge — not gleaned from encyclopaedias 

 or composed of the unverified statements of others. 

 It was mental food for the acutest thinker ; it was 

 comprehended by the youngest student. In his 

 lectures his diction was a model of English ; no 

 straining for effect, no struggling for words, but the 

 right word always in the right place. I never think 

 of the words I am to use," said he. I arrange the 

 matter, order, and method of statement and illus- 

 tration clearly in my mind before I begin, and then 

 the words come of themselves.** 



It was fortunate, also, that he had that charm of 

 manner — modesty, simplicity, manliness, and kind- 

 ness for others — which attracted and captivated his 



