©xigtnal ^xficks. 



LOUIS AGASSIZ. 



By Rev. S. Fletcher Williams. 



Eead before the Lancashire and Cheshire Entomological Society, 

 March 19th, 1883. 



Of the names of illustrious men who have promoted the cause of 

 science in the present generation, none is higher than that of Agassiz. 

 While I am conscious of my inability to do justice to the labours and 

 character of this noble student and interpreter of the works of nature, 

 I wish to pay at least some feeble tribute to his memory. Louis John 

 Rudolph Agassiz was largely and richly endowed. His mind was 

 fashioned on a colossal scale. His temperament was lively and 

 enterprising, his reasoning faculties keen and comprehensive, his 

 nature deeply impressible to all excellent influences, and his physical 

 constitution of such a frame as to endure the most laborious efforts and 

 activities. Scientifically his merits were of the class that commands 

 lasting popularity. He was an originator of new ideas ; and that on 

 a subject second only to astronomy in grandeur and interest, namely, 

 the physical history of our globe, or geology. 



Agassiz was born in the town of Mottier, between the lakes of 

 Neufchatel and Morat, in the Swiss Canton of Friburg, on May 28th, 

 1807. His ancestors were of French origin, and were among those 

 Protestants whom the revocation of the Edict of Nantes compelled to 

 leave France. His father was the Protestant pastor of the parish. At 

 the age of thirteen he entered the gymnasium of Biel, where he gave 

 sufficient evidence of his ability to attract the notice of his teachers. 

 After he had been at Biel nearly four years, he was removed to the 

 Academy of Lausanne, as a reward for his proficiency in science. But 

 his already developed enthusiasm for science was distasteful to his 

 father, who destined him for a commercial life, and who was impatient 

 at his devotion to frogs, snakes, and fishes. The last, especially, were 

 objects of the boy's attention. His vacations he spent in making 

 journies on foot through Europe, examining the different species of 

 fresh-water fishes. 



He came to London, with letters of introduction to Sir Roderick 

 Murchison. 



" You have been studying nature," said the great man, bluntly. 

 " What have you learned 1 " 



The lad was timid, not sure at that moment that he had learned 

 anything. " I think," he said at last, " I know a little about fishes." 

 N.S., Vol. ix. Aug,, 1883. 



