282 



Louis Agassi z. 



our meeting-place, bedroom, study, museum, library, 

 lecture-room, fencing-room, all in one. Students and 

 professors used to call it the little Academy.'* 



It was at this time that Humboldt was preparing 

 for his Asiatic journey. Agassiz was anxious to 

 accompany him, and asked that he might join the 

 expedition as an assistant. This was the beginning 

 of his personal acquaintanceship with Humboldt. 



A graphic picture is presented of the student's life 

 in Paris, in the days of Louis Philippe, when Cuvier, 

 just the age of Humboldt himself, was active and 

 ardent in research, his salon frequented by statesmen, 

 scholars, and artists. 



Cuvier was then giving a course of lectures in the 

 College of France, on the History of Science. 

 " Humboldt," says Agassiz, attended these lectures 

 regularly ; I had frequently the pleasure of sitting 

 by his side, and being the recipient of his passing 

 criticism." At this period, Humboldt had his work- 

 ing-room at the Rue de la Harpe. There," con- 

 tinues Agassiz, it was my privilege to visit him 

 frequently. There he gave me leave to come, to 

 talk with him about my work, and consult him in 

 my difficulties." 



At thistime Agassiz was twenty-four years of age, 

 and Humboldt sixty-two. 



*^ I had recently," says Agassiz, taken my degree 

 as Doctor of Medicine, and was struggling, not only 

 for a scientific position, but for the means of exist- 

 ence also. I have said that he gave me permission 

 to come as often as I pleased to his room, opening 

 to me freely the inestimable advantages which inter- 



