The New York herald., 1873-12-15
Q 3 TU A r Y.
Louis u. X. Agasslx.

attack Of ofparayss, induced by cerebral congestion,
| IN the 9th year OF his age.
SKETCH or HIS LIFE AND WORK.
Professor Agassiz, the most distinguished natural
list OF America. and highly appreciated In the
scientific circles of Christendom born at Orbe,
in Waatande, where his father was pastor, on
the asth OF May, 1907. He studied at the Gymna-
SUM at Blel, whence he was removed, in 1922, TO
the Academy OF Lasanne, as o reward ior his high
| scientific promise. He subsequently studied medi-
| cine and the experimental sciences at Zurich,
1 heidelberg and Munich, and at the University or
the latter city he took the degree OF NJ ID. He had
| hitherto devoted himself specially to comparative
anatomy, which led TO his being entrusted III 1926,
1 by Martus, to describe the l16 species OF fishes
collected by spix in Brazil; and the learned new
classification py Agassiz forms the broad stone OF
his reputation as scientific naturalist, which was
materially advanced by the monographs CON-
| pieteness OF MS 'Natura History or the
| Fresh Water Fishes OF Europe" published
| In 1899, ana almost contemporaneously with his
'Researches on Fossil Flshesn and his Descrip-
| tions OF Echinodermes.n Agassz has for some
years hlled chair In the scientific department OF
Harvard College, and he was Professor of Compar-
| ative Anatomy in the University OF Charleston.
| His Tour on Lake Superiorn develops with
| great skill and powerful picturesqueness
| the physical character vegetation and AMI
l haiS VI tndt region, anu 'fTlHCtpleS
| OF Zoology Is text book OF a high
order. His contributions to the American Associa-
ton for the Advancement OF Science are numerous
| and valuable and tosthe kindred British associa-
| tion he has communicated many papers OF fine
character; indeed, there few contributions TO
| the meetings OF this association which are more
attractive than those OF Professor Agassiz.
| The work, however, by which he has
| chiefly raised his reputation abroad is his
| ''Studies OF Glaciers" in which he advanced
| tending to remodel the views OF geologists re-
| CARDS the ncoherent and post-tertiary formations
| Of the globe and the dynamical causes by which
| those deposits have been effected; and although
| his views upon the changes the surface ascrlD-
able to the agency OF these glaciers. have not been
universally admitted, the theory OF Agassiz
| has been treated with marked respect
| His devotion to science intense. ana for her
sake he relinqulshed pursuits from which he might
| have been in the receipt OF very large income.
| Dr. Buckland used to relate that he knew Agassz
| when engaged in this arduous career with an in
OF only G1oo, and of this he paid ESQ TO artists
for drawings and ESQ for books, living himself on
| the remaining f2o year! Thus he raised himself
to an elevated European rank, 'and in his abode,
an t'oisteme, became the companion and friend Of
! princes ambassadors and men OF the highest rank
| and talent Of every country.n
His ancestors were Of French origin, and were
| among the number OF those Prorestants who
in 1885, at the time of the Revocation OF the Edict
OF Nantes were forced to fly rom France. Origin
| ally intended Tor the Church, Agassiz, whose
| bent was entirely IN the direction OF science,
| chose medicine for profession. In Heidelberg
| University student and anatomist he
| outstripped all competitors, while as lee
| turer on natural history, and as man
OF remarkable attainments and capacity, he
began to attract the attention OF me Of science.
From Heidelberg he went to Munich, where he re-
mained four years; and, having attracted the at
tcntion of Martins, the great natural historian, he
was employed as stated, to prepare the ichthyo oo-
pical department OF the Natural History OF Brazil.
| 1t is curious that his attention should have been
thus early directed towards subject and country
destined to occupy so much OF his thoughts
! thrown IN the way OF his progress and success
which would have daunted any man OF less deter
mlnation energy and perseverance,; but these ae
commenced his Investigations into tue subject OF
fossil fish, in which department. OF natural
| the world than any other man. Receiv-
ing professorship in the College OF Neuf-
| sojourn in Paris where he made the acquaintance
| OF Cuvier and Humboldt. Agassiz renamed there
| until 1876, when he sailed ior America, and soon
! after his arrival was appointed Professor OF
| Zoology and Geology in the Laurence Scientific
school. FROM tlat period Professor AsassLz con
tinued an American resident, and although the
| recipient OF constant testimonials and offers from
abroad, resolutely refused all prelerring TO re,
main among the friends with whom he had
| become Identified, and in country he SO
greatly honored by his labors and researches.
| At the age OF 30 Agasslz was member OF
| nearly every learned society III Europe besides
being Doctor OF Laws in the Universities OF Edin-
| burgh and Dublin His glacial theory, one OF the
| most remarkable and original conceptions in the
| whole arcana OF science, was propounded IN 1887.
| TO collect facts relating 10 the subject he spent
| eight summers upon the glacier OF the Aar, 5000
feet above the level OF the sea and IL miles from
any human habitation.
IA UrI nf ArnS ora n n
knowledge, on geology, zoology paleont oogy EN-
bryology, and innumerable other sub,ec,s COM
prisng 80 or 40 volumes chiefly written IN French,
in quarto and folio, and in most cases expen-
sively and beautifully illustrated The greatest OF
his literary efforts, the contributions to the Nat
ural History of the United Statesn to be com
pleted in ten volumes folio, has now reached its
iourtn volume, ana Is tne most magnlhcen. & ana
ever attempted in the United States.
In 1852 Prof. Agassiz delivered course OF six
lectures before the Brooklyn institute at the
Academy OF Music, on 'l'he structure OF Animal
Life" These lectures were exceedingly popular,
and were afterwards published IN volume under
the title OF Graham Lectures" In the year
1889 the Museum OF Comparative Zoology
bridge, OF which Professor Agassiz was made
director, and from that time until 1865 he
zealouslv devoted himsef to the arduors duties Of
his POSITION adding constantly by MS personal e
forts TO the collection until IL promises ultimately
to be the most important scientific institution Of
the kind In the country.
In 1856 Professor Agassiz commenced org anizing
an expedition to Brazil for the purpose Of exrmin-
evidence in regard TO his glacial theory, and
obtaining specimens and inform alton concerning
the fauna Of that unknown country. The ex-
penses OF this expedition which comprised some
eight or ten persons, were deirayed entirely BY
private liberality. To Mr.. Nathaniel Thorpe Ameri
can science owes debt OF gratitude for his gener-
Gus Efforts to forward so important an enter
prise. The success OF Agassiz during this expe-
dition was unbounded. Hundreds OF new varie-
Ties OF fish were discovered and specimens OBJ
tanned. HIS reception by the Emperor OF Brazil
himself very scientific man, was nattering in
the highest degree. BY other men OF science his
coming was haiied with Joy, SO widely had his
reputation reached.
ON his return to this country the Brooklyn Mer-
camille Library Association commenced a corre-
spondencc with Professor Agassiz, with the design
OF obtaining rom him course OF lectures on the
questions involved in his explorations. They were
able to obtain his services, and announced q
course OF two lectures to be delivered at the
Academy OF Music on the 18th and 18th OF January,
on the ASPECTS OF the Amazons" and the "Ani-
mails OF Brazil"