The Agassi z Memorials. 261 



them by the hand of an all-wise Lawgiver possessed 

 of supreme intelligence, will, and power. No, ladies 

 and gentlemen, there is no real controversy between 

 true science and religion. Their mission is one — 

 the progress of mankind to a higher degree of 

 knowledge and sincere purity. I have ever believed 

 in free thought, free speech, and a free press — not 

 toleration, but absolute freedom. It is thought that 

 governs the world. 



But he must be a braver man than I claim to be, 

 who would undertake to entertain such a presence 

 as this at such a late hour, and especially after the 

 learned and eloquent remarks that have been made 

 by the gentlemen who have preceded me, even if I 

 had an address prepared, which I have not. All I 

 can venture to say is, that in doing honour to our 

 distinguished fellow-citizen, we honour ourselves. 

 Some nations honour their dead in one way, some 

 in another. Some build monuments or found insti- 

 tutions to perpetuate their names to coming genera- 

 tions. The eloquent addresses already delivered 

 have told us of the exalted character of our great 

 scientist as a man, a citizen in all the walks of life, of 

 the magnetism of his presence and speech, and of 

 his wonderful abilities as a teacher, and of the results 

 or net gains to the scientific world, as the perfecter, 

 if not the original proclaimer, of a new thought and 

 of a new method of scientific experiments, which are 

 revolutionising many of the departments of scientific 

 philosophy. We need not then offer a hecatomb at 

 his tomb. It may be true, in a limited sense, as the 

 heathen sages have said, Those whom the gods 



