Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-27
AbO0S Agnaaix
New York Tribune Latter

New York Tribune letter.
He was singulariy unmethodicai in hts habits.
Men who live and work BY rule would be puE-
zled TO understand how AeassiE managed 20 do
30 much without these helps. He lived ana
Inspiration. Ii he was suddenly seized with an
interest in some scientific inquiry be would
pursue IL at once, putting by perhaps other
work in which he had just fairly got started
al always Ike to take .dvantase OF my pro
bad several irons in the ere, only one OF which
might ultimately be finished. Probably he saw
than the hrst. He never could be made 70 work
Ike machine, turning out a definite quantity
at regular intervals. He never felt hound 10 re-
gard the rule that you must finish one thing be-
fore you begin another. 80 emphatically presen-
ted in the old school books. His WAS methoi A
of working which would be rutnous 70 zuy m an
who had not his wonderful faculties, his far
sight and insight With his great logical brain
and his marvellous power of observation. there
was united q certain telescope intuition which
made his view Of probabilities something more
than Q guess He never proposed hts osn
methods Of working a. model for Others. Once
however, In my presence q near relative vent
ured 10 ask him IL he did not think he would
accomplish more If he finished one thing before
he began another. Every man must work ac-
cording to his own methsd," he replied. He
was in himself great contradiction OF the
achieved, but il was after his own way. IL was
frequently hard thing to get him % sign pa
per or write letter Except for somebody else) !.
or to look over accounts or reports, or do little
routine work. Yet he could never have STAINED
his great eminence in science IL he had not paid
in this department great attention to the min
utest and apparently the most Insignificant de-
tails. Looking at the drawing OF fish m abe
by his artist, he said, after taking a single
glance: at IL a beautiful drawing; but don't
You see you have left out two or three of the
scales?" This story, which I have seen else
where, is ,ouched for by the draughtsmaa who
formerly drew his specimens for him.
I know what those silent lips wouid say II
just here their testimony could be gathered. 1t
would be a testimony As sweet and beautiful A.
that of John Stuart I'LL 10 the helpmate he 50
devoutly loved. IL may be a fact less famtli ar
to the public, but il Is one well known to Prof
gsssiz's friends, that his wife was his compile
ment and in every sense a helpmate. What the
Professor lacked in order, method or business
habits was abundsDtly supplied by Mrs. Agas-
six. IL washer graceful and sssiduous pen that
reeast and put into more classic molds the Pro
fessor's ready English. IL was her constant en-
couragement and stimulus that supported the
Professor in new and difficult undertakings.
Her counsel was always listened 10 with respect.
Ii is safe to say that we should not have mad SO
many OF his works put in a permanent form in
English If il had not been for her earnest CO.
operation. The Professor, as all know, was a
ready lecturer, and always delivered his ad
dresses without manuscript In all of his lee
lures and speeches near home Mrs. Agassz ac-
companied him whenever possible and took CO.
pious notes, and thus preserved the thought for
future use. All of his communc atoms for the
press passed through her hands She wrote
much from his dictstion, attended to q great
many OF his business details, aud in a thousand
ways forwarded his work, Every word of praise
we bestow on the silent lead Is an unuttered
recognition Of her who shared alike his labors
and his rewards.
Let us hope that she who knew him better
than any or all of us, may crown this life OF de
votion by completing and giving TO the world
her own record-long since begun-of the ge-
nius and work of him whose departure has left
such void in our hearts.