, 1873-12-22

changes our globe Inns undergone with tho plio-
nomona exhibited by tho Developments Of tho Or
discover tendency to tho nloat extensive gem
ordinations; whllo in cyory instance tho knowl-
edgo Of tin facts, q candid study Of, the
most ,ad minute rotations pf I'LL, ILLS fn')'os
bis Investigations. 1Iia searching and colnpro.
hOnsivo in1uistionB into natMre led to tho bol!ct
Of distinct typos Of tho aninal kingdom, mud tho
theories Of Darwin mud Horbort spencer havc
title AZ he,
,Agasaiz. on purely scientific grounds, declares
himsoK lad to tho belief In MI Almighty Creator
Of the Universe; In fact, ho Regards lila oxlHt-
onco established by The 1nost, vigorous uomot-
stratton, lIe elbows that apocica DO not il'Hcnai-
lily pass Into eacl, otor, but that cacll has its
appointed period, md is not connected, except
il tho order Of time, with lts prodecesaor> ue
kays-1 quote hia own language: :. - an fpyielblo
thread IL all egea rnna through rna tmmense nm
that there ia a. continual rrogreaa III develop
mont ondlug in man, tho four classes OF yorte.
brateB presenting tho intermediate steps, and
tho iuvortehratoa tho constant accossory accom-
Of q mind as powerful as prolflc tho acts Of all
intelligence Oh sublime as provident? tho marks
OF goodness rs infinite as wiso the most papa-
bio demonstration Of the existence Of personal
God, nuthor of all thindB, ruler Of tho universe
and dispenser Of all good2 This, Mt loast, is
what l road in the works OF creation"
Such testimony, drawn from purely sciontiao
aonrces. md independent OF all otllor evidence.
must have enormous weight. q.
/ could not prepare tho way for Rhat wish to
say about this great naturalist as o man without
maklng this rofarenoe to .his works, though for
anything like m exact and satisfactory account
ene must l9ok to the memorials tint hh scsontiie
themselves. Ills dcnth in the 'fnl vigor Of his
intellectual strength, when lle waa giving moro
decided impulse to scientific education than eyer
before, AMI when he WAS better prepared, by the
possession Of the vast accauu1ations Of Lis
museum, to t,ao lfs Immense stores for the
promotion Of human knowledge In tho donain
Of unture, cannot, hll1nanly speaking. be too
much lamentcd. It IL likely that It waa preeipi-
tated by the tremendous strain Of his facultlos
In the gigantic enterprises Of his genius, added
to the aolcitnde aud disappointment that am
told ho experienced i'll not securing tho financial
aiu that he sought from tho public funds Of his
adopted State III support Of hiH muacum---in tho
work Of carrying out his noble plans for milking
the institution tho efficiency that ho desired.
What We motto, in addition to tho vast knowl-
edge md intellectual tgrcatnoss OF tho man, is
his admirable and noble character:: He had d
WINS aiways nround him sunny atnoBplere, and
mono could DO with him without faoling tho mag
netism Of Ills great warn heart. Ills pupils'.-
and they aro humorous and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. con-
ito spirit, his cornl interest in their prosperity
md SUCCESS, and his large. ssEong synpathiea
.ith all that appeals to generous human sonk-
oilittes: He inspired thom with tho ardor Of LIS
own bright and pure enthusiasm, aud nothing
That was mean or selfish could thrive in tho
sarnestnees Of tho pursuit Of truth in wh!cl, he
,pguged thon. It is easy, therefore, to ECO how
ieop became tho porsonal attachments OF those
sho were under hles instruction; Il how
,o,ild 10 no bettor evidence OF his
GENIAL, nffcctionnte, sympathetic nature
;hnn the power that he had over ardent and
gifted, and the sweet Impressions that he has
loft on tho lives of so 1nnny Of the trusst aud
most interesting people iii tho land. Il would
seem that ha soul had drank in tho fovelineHH Of
Tho wonderful aud beautiful page Of nature. and
that he reelected in his own life the light aud
chcerfuluess that lio on the works Of God.
There was III hun, too, d simplicity, q child
like 1lnturalness, Us admirable I'd it was ILL
atinctiye. With tho half-ccucntcd,- d,-thoae anl-
bilious merely Of tho name Of learning,-there ia
often noticed conceit OF knowledge, an ostcn-
tation of attalnmentB, Nh assumption Of superb
ority, n kind Of dogmatis1n mud arrogance that
arc repu!sive und absurd. There waR no shadow
of this in Agassiz. With all his mental grandeur
and vast requirements, ho waa still the humble
pupil of nature, tho ulprotending citizen, the
quot, urbane, courteous gentleman. Iii lia
einapIe, natural way, he Went about his work,
intent upon accomplishing tho ends Of science.
aud otliyious, apparently, OF what tue world
private instructions, and social intercourse, his
travels aud lis fatieuing nnd cxactiug labors, Ae
carried n serene and artleBB spirit whose sin.
cerity waa worry winning and impressive. lie
TaB utterly free from tho atlectatlonB OF the
pedant, aud the robust genuiueness Of tho man
had n wholesome and stimulating favor thai
made his society delightful.
Yhail never forgot Il little Incident Of biz
'ift, which ! merely mention becauHa it gives
koy to his character. | was with him once II
;ho small cabinet Of college, which lie was OK.
an.iuing with q good deal Of interest, nnd wllerf
&c was iuAt us modest rs II ail tho scientific
treasures OF tue earth werc before his oyea, When
teingularly formed turtle~shel from the A1ssis.
sippi waH shown him, with tho request tllnt ~
LIQUID namo tic species to wlct, it belonged
ra1ing it into his hand, with the candor Of a.
lnspoilcd Child, lc saia: II don't know thiB.'
The confession surprised .us, ~ We know TIM
ho study Of turtles was fuyofito branch Of iu
gestigation with him, and that loro III
ras profoundly loarued. In moment q
wso, however,, he remarked, very qni!oty,
shich @ it really a was, thoush it required sas
knowledge of this sort Of creatures to detect TIL
iact. Wo can all imagine how tho commonplace.
professor, deBirous Of hopping np a uan,o TO-
knowledge, would have managed to conceal hi
One mark Of Agassiz's g1eatnoas waB in thif
!rocd0m from all vain osteltatlon, all preteust
Of lonrnng to secure Intention to himself. TIL
cause Of truth WIS Infinitely dear to him, und h.
;ho universe, that his mind always kept the ntti
,ule Of an humble learner and u patient inquir
II Of Natures manifold and Hlajectfe meanings
1t was this candor, modcsty, simplicity, a,peson
9ial frcshnoss Of spirit dn connection with hi
massive intellect, tint enabcd him to pursue
sith sucl engornoaB and auccess tho Studies tin
hayo rendered his name immortal. Tho franz
If mind In which lie lived WIS suited to the ARp
oiest prosecution Of Ills chosen labora, to til
aarcL for and tho recognition Of the wondrou
l1.ths of Nnture, 1T WAS enough for him to aut
.l,at tho record Of creation sud, and In til,
presence Of The august revelation he was io'sl