The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-01-28
LOUIS ACASSiZ.

Louis Agsssiz was born May %, 1907,
at Motier, in Switzerland. When he was
little fellow he was very fond of all
kinds Of animals, and kept a great many
pets in his fathers yard behind the house.
He had rabbits and hares, guinea pigs,
field mice, birds, and 30 on. Bot above
them all he priced his fishes, which he
and younger brother caught in Lake
Morat and in the brooks, and kept in a
great stone basin, into which spring of
fresh water was always running. He
was also fond of initiating mechanics in
their work. He made nice little shoes
for his sisters dolls; he could sew like a
tailor; and he made little play barrels,
which were really water tight. When he
was ten years old he began to 60 to
school, and at the age of nineteen went
to the university. His father wanted
him to be physician like his dear
grandfather Mayor, his mothers father;
but Louis could not give up his study of
fishes. When he was only twenty-five
he published his first book about them
As soon as scientific men saw it, they
said that the young man knew more
about fishes than any one else in the
world. But he also knew a great deal
about other animals and about plants;
and soon afterward he learned great
deal about the rocks and stones; and
about the way that gravel, sand and clay
were made.
When he was thirty nine years of age
he came to live in America. Every one
had honored him in Europe and every
one honored and loved him here. He
died Dec. IA, 1873, and great stone was
brought from Switzerland, and placed
over his grave in Mount Auburn.
An old fisherman gave me one day a
very little scale from some kind of fish
and asked me to try whether Agassiz
could tell what klnd of fish it came from.
The instant that he looked at it he said,
"Tell the man it was from sucker"
and 80 it was. Agsssiz could tell any
fish in that way from single scale. Men
wondered at him because he knew so
much, but they loved him because he
was so pleasant, friendly, kind and good.
He was unselfish, true, pure and reverent.
He would not speak ill of any one. There
were two or three men who had behaved
very badly toward him; yet he never said
any hard thing against them, but seemed
rather to pity them than to be angry
with them. You could see by his face,
you could hear in the tones OF his voice,
you could perceive by his actions, that he
was good man, kind-hearted, religious
ly minded. That was the reason why
people loved him. Children especially
loved him. He was fond of teaching,
and was good teacher, not only Of
young men and young women, but of lit
tie children. He was always kind and
friendly to young children. One Christ
mas day saw little girl six years old
bring him potato in which her father
had fixed wooden legs and tail; she
brought it and asked what kind of ami.
NAL it was. "Thst, my dear, is potato
theriuns," said he, smiling; and the child
went away pleased and happy. When he
was young man he said in letter to
his father, 81 wish it may be said of
Louis Agassiz that he was the first nat
urslist of his time, good citizen and a
good son, beloved of those who knew
him." He has his wish; that is exact
ly what is said of him. - EUery Other
SUNDAY.