The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1874-02-04
Sketch of his Life.

ly failing several days.
Sketch of his Life.
In the loss of Professor Agassiz. the
country has suffered to degree which
now it may not be possible to measure
For not only has the deceased been the
embodiment of all that the highest scien-
tifc research could make a man, but he
has proved himself, beyond his labors as
scholar, to be true friend OF humanity
The intolerance of Louis XIV. of France
deprived that country, as the sequel
proved, of being the birthplace of the
great naturalist. The family to which he
belonged took its refuge from persecution
in the country of Switzerland, aud in the
parish of Matter, near Lake Neufchatel.
Louis John Rudolph Agassiz first saw
light, May %, 1907. He was educated
at the College of Lausanne, at the Zurich
Medical School, and at the Universities of
Heidelberg and Munich, besides attend
ing, for four years, Seedlings lectures on
philosophy. Up to the time of his enter
ing the University of Munich, he looked
upon medicine as his future profession.
But on entering the recognized Univer-
sity of Munich he was brought in contact
with some of the most profound scientific
men of the time, among whom were Oxen.
the zoologist, Martius, the botanist. and
Dollinger, the founder of modern physiolo-
gy. From his intercourse with them. his
mind received a scientific bent, and in that
direction he turned his mind and pursued
his studies. His first labors in this field
were soon after he had formally given his
attention TO science, and they were useful
in enabling Martius to complete an elabor
ate volume-a folio in Latin-on the ich
THEOLOGY of Brazil; work which gave
him an eminent position, from which he
was subjected to the eager eyes of all
friends of science and profound learning.
His next great labor was the publication
of his celebrated work on the Natural
History of the Fresh Water Fishes of
Europe" in which he was assisted by the
intelligent generosity and foresight of
Gotta, the celebrated publisher, Mean
while, he had received the degree of Phi. |
d. at Erlangen, and subsequently, that of
NJ. D. at Munich, reading on the recep-
ton of the latter his celebrated Latin dis
sertation upon the subject, femina huni-
ma superior mari His famous work on
Fossil Fishes" soon followed, this de-
partment of the study claiming his par.
ticular attention. In 1882 he received an
appointment to the chair of Natural His
tory in the College of Neufcbatel, and
held that place till ls45, spending his
Summer vacations IN diligent researches
among the Alps. From this latter EN-
ployment he evolved his now accepted
theory of glacial age,
Arrival in this Country.
In 1916 he was deputed to act as
special agent to this country for the Prus-
sian Government, on matters of science.
and while here first attracted attention by |
a course oflectures in the hall ofthe Lowell |
Institute. He was impressed, soon after
his arrival, with the great field for study |
which this country afforded, and, after i
discharging his official business, he took
up his residence here, where be has since
resided. He became thoroughly Ameri-
can in spirit, and was so closel Y identi-
fed with MS as a people that few couid
believe that be had been in this country
for only twenty-five years. A lifetime's
work has been accomplished in the period.
He gave our people some entirely new
ideas on scientific subjects, and was re-
ceived with wonderful favor when once his
lectures had been heard He so attracted
the attention of onr best scholars that in
lS47, when the Lawrence Scientific School
was founded by Mr. Abbot Lawrence,
Professor Agassiz was offered the chair
of zoology and geology, which he accept
ed, and since that time, with the excep-
ton of two years, when he held the po-
sition of Professor of Comparative Anato-
my in the Medical College of Charleston,
5. c., he has been closely identified with
Harvard University.
The Museum a Harvard University.
The great idea of Professor Agassiz
vas to have museum which should be
or this country what those of the Old
World are to the other continent. He