Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-12-19

Agasszs loss TO the cause Of science Is ir-
reparabe.
Louis John Rudolph Asassiz was born
in the Canton of Fribourg, on the Lake of
Morat, May 90, 1907. The father of Agas-
sig was Protestant pastor, as, indeed, his
forelathers for six generations had been.
His education was conducted by his moth
er until he was eleven years old, when lie
was sent TO attend the gymnasium Of BIZ
enne. While he was at school there his Ia
Their removed to a village at the foot OF The
Jura, and here, dnrng bis vacations, his
first studies Of nature were made under
the tuition of a gentleman named firaz.
After four years of Blenne he spent two at
the college of Lausanne, and then for Two
wears betook himself 10 the medical scoool
of Zurich. For a year more he was at
Heidelberg, aud here his bent wa first
plainly seen. Anatomy, zoology, and bot
any were his chief studies. In 1927, in his
iweuty-frst year, he entered Munich, and
il was while he was still an undergraduate
here that he was chosen by Martiu5, the ex-
plorer of Brazil, TO complete the ichthyo-
logical report on that empire left untinlsh-
ed by tho death of Spix. Afler taking the
degrees of doctor of medicine at Munich
and doctor of philosophy at Erlangen, he
went TO live at Vienna. At the close OF his
Brazilian studies he studied for seven years
the fossil fishes of Europe, and in 1882 be
gan the publication, not concluded I'LL 1874,
Of the work upon that sui ject which not
only established his reputation rs one of
our first investigators, but also made known
his claims TO be recognized as one Of the
first of natural philosophers. He visited
many parts of Europe, and was everywhere
well received in prosecution of His task,
and was aided by Cuvier and Alexander
Won Humboldt who were his warm friends;
and tie latter aided him liberal y in getting
his work published. He visited Great Brit
ain many times, and met with the most
cordial reet ption from men of learning, no
bletnen, universities, aud so forth. lie
was made an LID. of tho universities OF
Dublin and Edinburgh and enrolled cIti-
zen of both cities. During the publication
of his 81 eat work he sent 10 press also sew
eral monographs on sub divisions OF his
subject or subjects cognate to it. His va
cations for years had been devoted to ex-
cursons among the Alps, the result of
which was the publication in frag1cniary
parts, Of his glacial theory.
In the autumn of 1916 Agassiz arrived in
Boston, from Paris, intending to make him
self familiar with the natural history and
geology of this country. The trip was un-
dertak en- to fulfil mission suggested by
the Baron Won Humboldt tC the King ol
Prussia. He also intended TO deliver a
course of lectures in Boston. He deliver
ed the lectures 10 large audiences, and sub
seqpenty an offer to visit every point oil
the coast in the vessels of the Coast Survey
determined him 10 remain here. He start
ed on a cruise along the coast of Nantuck-
ct, and visited Niagara Falls and the White
Mountains in the summer of lSi7. During
the next three winters he icctured before
the Lowell Institute, and repeated some OF
his lectures at New York. Philadelphia and
Charleston. 8. C. Since his removal TO the
United States he had, at different times, oc-
cupied himself with study of tho boulder
| distribution here, and the results are found
| in work containing an account of an ex-
cursion to Lake Superior. In lS47 the Sci
entitic School in Cambridge was commit
| ted TO his charge. He started there with
twelve pupils in 1913, and published the
same year, in conjunction with A. A.
Gould, his Principles of Zoology for schools
| and colleges. He subsequently traversed
| the country, collecting specimens every
where, from Lake Superior TO The Gulf o
| Mexico, and from the Atlantic coast To The
| NJ ssissippi Valley. In 1850 he spent The
| winter at the reefs of Florida, and the fol.
| lowing summer he explored The State o
New York with Prof. James. He was ap
| pointed Professor of Comparative Anatp'
| my in the Medical College of Charleston
| s. c., in 1862, and accepted the CALL remain
| ing two winters. The bad climate, how
| ever, drove him North again, where he dc
| cded 10 reside permanently. Many in
ducements were held out TO him 10 leave
the United States since his settlement a
Boston, but he always adhered 10 his inten
| ton to make our country his home. Thu
| Ere nch Academy of Science, awarded hin
| prize. and offered a scientific chair, which
| he declined. Much Of his Time has beer
occupied since 1866 in the arrangement o
| OF his very large collection of materials
but he has also been engaged at other Ia
| bors. The result of his voyages 10 and NJ
| the Amazon in 1862, and around the Horn
in 1871 al lready known by such as have
| cared to study their records. He com
menced to publish his Contributions TO th,
Natural History of the United States; wa
engaged in an investigation Of the bottom
Of the Gulf Stream, and established hi
| scientific school at Penikese Island. Tit
school was opened on the 9Th Of last Ju
| ly,.. with about forty scholars, one-thirC
of whom were women. One of tn
most important undertakings whicl
will suffer by Professor Agasszs with
drawal is the Cambridge museum. This i
an idea of his own brain, which he haC
worked hard to give a reality. Thougi
| only fourteen years old il has a reputation
second TO none, while in some respects it il
far superior to institutions claiming AZ
| equal name. Last October he accepted al
invitation extended by President Gran
and large circle of the Professors friends
TO lecture at Washington during the pres
ent winter. He thus broke q resolution
not to lecture publicly again, which hi
gradually failing health had forced him tt
make. AgassiZ was man of great phys
ical as well as mental activity. III,
was a liberal contributor 10 the scientific
publications of the day and an incessan
toiler. In the course Of lectures which III
had promised TO deliver this winter ii wa
confidently expected that he would comba
many of Darwin's theories. In all his in
vesligations and amid his greatest tri
umphs he adhered firmly TO the belief tina
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