Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-02-19

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ia TIA sod af fs.nik eaasi,
gave special attention. r4ek oi
science oveS to him it, ~ va.
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the seas. lskes ssd pivssp. Ofwhae value
such knowledge ,nsy b We have already
seen in the instance Of the fossils found in
the Jura.
One other result of Agassis' labors mus.
be mentioned before csosine--the Muse.
um. at Cambridge. Mass. where are col
lected the specimens of natural, history
gathered during his many expeditions.
II exceis every other institution Of its
kind, even those OF Europe: and If sup-
ported, As il probably will be. BY /. grant
from the legislature. will remain . fitting
monument to its founder.
II was at Cambridge. where he had 50
long resided. that this great man passed
away. on the 14,h Of December last. His
illness was so brief that the news OF bis
death was surprise. and to the scientific
world almost . shock. and everywhere was
heard the lamcntaiion-"Thcre Is none to
take his plsce !" Agassis! No name is
better known than this in connection with
science; illustrious, it will be handed
down to future generations. Yet fame
was never bis object. To fortune be was
utterly indifferent. Tempting opportu-
mites to acquire wealth were thrust in his
way; he slighted them What was his
ohject' 1t could not have been pleasure
entirely, for his whole life was one Of in
cessant aud weurying application; often he
was obliged to cease his labors for while
to recruit his waning strength. What
was it that induced hun to Chamber noun
tains, and explore valleys. and trace riv-
crs to their sources. or to spend hours,
even days. in the examination Of some lit
tie shell. some petrifcd crab or moilusk
left By the retreating tides upon sea-
beach thousands of years ago? 1t was
the highest aud noblest Of aims which
spurred him to such efforts. 1t was wha.
many another has lived for, some have
died for. 1t was truth. The science of
Nature as he found it was in its infancy.
contrasted with what it is to-day. And
it is owing greatly to his researches that
it has arrived at its present state Of ad-
vanccmont. The statements ofthe books.
compared with what he read upon the liv:-
ing pages. were so full Of flaws that he
set himself to the task Of correcting them
But nature is cbary of her secrets; and as
be read on aud on in that story-book o!
hers. he would come now and then upon
some passage that told him how imper-
fec;!y he had understood her hitherto.
and how wide Of the mark was what he
had believed aud taught to be true
Ihcn: ..ir ...es ..
"Whenever the way seemed long,
Or his heart began 10 fail,
She would sing a more wonderful song,
Or tell more marvellous tale"
Yet, after all his labors. and researches,
and discoveries, very humbly did he &C.
know!cdge how comparatively little he
had accomplished. and how much still re-
mains to he done in that field to which he
devoted his life. Thus. in comparing
Pto!emys map Of Africa with the modern
maps. be says: ''Our present notions of
the past periods Of the worlds history bear
about the same relation to the truth that
those ancient geographical maps bear to
the modern ones. But this should not
discourage US, for. after, all, these maps
were, in the main, true. as far as they
went; and as the ancient geographers
were laying the foundation for oil our
modern knowledge Of the present confor.
nation Of the globe. so are the geologists
Of the nineteenth century preparing the
ground FOE future investigators, whose
work will be as Gar in advance Of theirs as
arc the delineations of Carl Ritter. the
great master Of ply ysical geography in our
age. in advance Of tho map drawn by the
old Alcxandrian geosraphcr. We shall
have our geological explorers and d;scov-
ers in The lands aud seas Of past times. as
We have had 10 those Of the present-our
Co!umbuses. our Captain Cooks. our Liv.
ings.ones in geology, as We have had 10
geography. There are undiscovered cont
nents and rivers and inland seas in the
past world to exercise the ingenuity, cour.
age and perseverance IF men. after the,
shall have solved all the problems. sound
ed all the depths. aud scaled all tn,
heights ofthe present surface Of the earth.
So. though the great leader OF sciencs
is gone from among US. there is still worl
to do for those who choose to follow IN Li
footsteps.
re- A young man carving q goose a
dinner one day. By an awkward moye
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