New-York tribune., 1873-12-20
AGASSIZ.
INCIDENTS IN LIS LIFE.

|
| CAMBRIDGE, Mass Dec. 17-Cambridge bad DO
greater light in her armament than the one wn'c"
death extinguished on Sunday night. 1t is loss
not only Of light but of warmth. Somehow "nen
you passed by Acassizs house you felt lees III neeu
of your overcoat than when you passed the ooo's >
of certain other notables who live in and around
| Boston. IL was always sunshine when Agassiz ''
| near. He was one whom the common peoP'o
| heard gladly He had kind word and beam'ns
face for everybody. and he impaired to others sol'o
| thing of his own Joyous mood He bad his sorip"
| full moments, his occasions of anxiety, when 'ne
expression of his face took painful signiicanoo'
| and one could see that there was some ou'''"
| pressing upon him; but let him meet irien''
especially child, and the shadow fled from n's
face quickly that in the warmth you Io'eo'
there had been any there. Grasp his hand, anu w"
| never found it cold.
II was this greatness of heart that cansed nm W
| make such host of friends and acquaintance
| among all classes. He was one OF those men "ho"'
when sick. the butcher the baker the grocery ip'
| and the laborer always ask about. lie was eie''
lover of children. He was constantly speaking 10
| them in the street and caressing them, not HUN
affectaton OF a desire to be popular but because ne
could not hepi it, His grandchildren, George anu
Max, were always running over to see grandpa, anu
had had the entire training Of them, perhaps theie
| would have been some spoiled children.
friend tells me of an instance which well Illus
trates his tenderness for children. Once while COLI
Quoting some scientific experiments, it became nee
essary TO have some water Immediately. Agasslz
seized pitcher and ran out to pump near Dy' ne
went ont quickly but was slow in coming BACK.
They waited twice as long for the water as woniu
have suiced TO bring it, and then went out TO see
what was the matter. There sat Agassiz, down by
the pump, his legs crossed and little child whlch
he was fondly soothing and caressng, nestled III De-
tween them. In his haste at the pump he had accl-
dentally struck the child standing near by Though
the blow was of little account the exigcncies OF
science seemed to him the less important and ne
had to put down his pitcher and open his heart'
When deeply engaged in scientific investigation he
would leave his work to seize and fondle child that
had strayed into his room, and the interrupted
mental process seemed to be resumed without dill
| Guilty.
Agassz was a pbilanthropist by nature. He was
fond OF " doing good as he had opportunity"
"Who can get to make some drawings for meW |
asked once.
Take -; he is a good draughsman, and he
needs the money; IT will help him along"
One day from my window noticed a horse and
buggy standing in the street. The horse had been
carelessy hitched had worked himself loose, and,
having moved little way out in the street, seemed
inclined 10 go off with empty wagon. student
and minister of the gospel in turn passed that way,
but neither made any effort to keep this horse from
strayng. Presently saw Agassiz coming down the
avenue apparently absorbed in deep thought his
eyes bent upon the ground. He stopped when he
got to the horse, and, without seeming to take his
thought of the subject on which he was engaged,
picked up the hitching-strap, tied the horse, and
went on, leaving the owner ignorant that anybody
had done him a favor
1t is one of the traditions the old bellies of
Cambridge that when Agassz came there he was re-
garded as the handsomest man they had seen. The
tradition does not need much testimony for to
the day of his death he was handsome. especially
when he smiled. 1t was wonderful what an iumin-
ating effect that smile had. His personal attrac-
TONS geniaty and attention to little cOurtesies,
always made him a favOrite with the ladies. They
attended his school in large numbers. There was
not great deal of discipline there the rule was
that you must speak in French but there great
deal of whispering in English which the teacher
somehow overlooked. This worship of the man was
not confined to Cambridge. 1t would be hard to
name place in the country where Agasslz had been
that he was not affectionately canonlzed On his
return from the Hasser expedition he could not slip
quietly into the Lowell Institute to hear his friend
Tyndall lecture without being observed and COM
PEELED by perfect thunderstorm of applause to
bow again and again his recognition of the tribute.
He was sort of pope in Boston.
"Do you see that man sitting over in that corner
there ~ said an intelligent reporter of Boston paper
tome.
"Yesn
"Well that is Agassiz. He knous ererythiRg"
He was always indifferent to money where science
was concerned. He spent it lavishy whenever he
could get it, often for things which would not make
show for the public, but which were invaluable for
the pursuit of scientific truth. He was not a bus
ness man nor fnancier. IL he wanted money for
his museum he would appeal to his friends and the
public and sure to get it. Then he would spend
it rapidly for collections improvements confident
that he could get more when he needed it.
He was also singularly unmethodical in his habits
Men who live and work by rule would be puzzled to
understand how Agassiz managed to do so much
without these helps. He lived and worked by in
spiration. If he was suddenly seized with an inter
est in some scientific inquiry, he would pursue it at
once, putting by perhaps other work in which be
had just fairly got started. Z" always like to take
advantage of my productive moods he said TO me.
Thus often he had several irons in the fire. only one
of which might ultimately be finished. Probably
he that the last iron promised to work up better
than the first. He never could be made to work like
a machine. turning out a definite quantity at
regular intervals. He never felt bound to
regard the rule that you must finish one thing be-
fore you begin another, so emphatcally presented
in the old school-books. His was method of work
ing which would be ruinous to any man who had
not his wonderful faculties, his far-sight and in
sight. With his great logical brain and his mar
velous powers of observation, there was united a
certain telescope intuition which made his view of
probabilities something moro than a guess. He