28o Louis Agassiz. 



At the evening reception, Mr. Ralph Waldo 

 Emerson, in speaking of what he termed the de- 

 lightful address in praise of Humboldt," concentrated 

 his estimate in this characteristic declaration, " Our 

 eminent professor never delivered a discourse more 

 wise, more happy, or of more varied power/' 



These words expressed the universal feeling. And 

 the address, so cordially welcomed by those who 

 heard it, was received when published with equal 

 favour on both sides of the Atlantic. 



This very day, I was reading a letter by Sir John 

 Herschel expressing his commendation ; and in the 

 Life of Alexander von Hujnboldt, edited by Pro- 

 fessor Karl Bruhns, director of the Observatory at 

 Leipzig, the address of Agassiz is referred to, both 

 in the preface, and in the body of the book. In the 

 latter, a lengthy extract is introduced. [See Vol. 11. , 

 pp. 179, 180, and 181.] 



There were several occasions upon which Alexan- 

 der von Humboldt extended such attention and 

 kindness to Agassiz, at a time when encouragement 

 was most needed, that it seems but an act of justice 

 and gratitude to recall them here. The first was 

 related by Agassiz some fifteen years ago, at a meet- 

 ing of the American Academy of Art and Science, 

 soon after Humboldt's death. 



" May I be permitted,'* he said to tell a circum- 

 stance personal to me ? I was only twenty-four 

 years of age when in Paris, whither I had gone with 

 means given me by a friend, but I was at last about 

 to resign my studies from want of ability to meet my 

 expenses. Professor Mitscherlich was then on a visit 



