The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-04-12
A New LIE Of Arnasiz.

A New Life OF AEns-iz.
Many biographies OF Louis Agassiz were
published Immediately after his death. one OF
them by his widow. Nearly all OF these were
too euloristio. On the other hand. some rather
severe structures have appeared in articles pur-
porting to recount the life of some OF his associ-
ates, or dealing with special questions Of natural
history. Undoubtedly, the truth lies between
the two, and to set forth the truth Is the aim OF
q new book called LIE, Letters. and Words Of
Louts .AgdsStz, by JULES MARCou Macmillans).
The author of the two volumes in which this
biography is comprised enjoyed the friendship
OF his subject during almost thirty years. and is
the last survivor OF the small band Of European
naturalists who came to America with Agassiz.
With a view to the publication Of this book. DIR.
Marcou has made. he tells us, during the last
twenty years, a large collection OF material in
the form of letters, recollections OF friends and
contemporaries. and rare pamphlets, with the
design Of presenting to the public the man him.
self, his origin. his character, his public life, his
private life. his passions, his weaknesses. bis
faults. his errors. his genius. The authors adj
miration of his subject Is undisguised. but no
has tried to be just not only toward him, but
also toward all those who were more or less con-
nected with him during his scientific life.
The author OF this biography has n chapter in
bIlC otNolh lhi NIhkCoI " 1917 III II NDu-
troversy between Agassiz on the one hand and
Asa Gray and other American disciples of OAR
win on the other. DIR. Marcou sums UP what he
has to say upon the subject with the assertion
that at present the theory of descent. ms set
forth by Lamarck and Darwin. has hot been
established by incontestable facts and obscrva-
lions. Agassiz was unwilling to abandon the
method of exposition OF facts which he had
found established in science and to substitute
in its place metaphysics and hypothesis: he
chung to observation and experiment. Between
variations of extinct species aud their a~ffinities
to each other and to living species on the one
hand, and transformism. or the theory OF
descent from common parents. on the other.
there is a gap, or rather an immense
abyss, over which Agassiz was not willing
to leap. Evidently a bridge was needed, but
natural selection seemed to him too frail a
structure for SO dangerous a passage. 1t is GER
tain that man has not yet found the secret of
creating species. although he has the power OF
destroying them, as he has shown by the exter-
mination of several species of animals. In the
opinion Of the present biographer the question
of mutability of species and Of the method of
~effecting 1t is still reserved for future observers;
and not until we possess indisputable proof OF
their soundness will the theories of trans
formism and descent be accepted by scientists.
Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz was born May
2S. 1907. at the parsonage Of Motier, on the
Lake of Morat. Canton of Fribourg. He died In
Cambridge. Mass, Dec. Il. 1873. His educa-
ton was received at the colleges of Bienne and
Lausanne and at the universities of Zurich,
Heidelberg. and Munich. He had the advantage
ofknowing Culver and Alexander Won Humboldt.
By the age OF 30 he had attained a great reputa-
~. -. Il -. T. $780, -- IT,
emigration to the United States chairs had been
offered to him at the university of Heidelberg
and the academies Of Geneva and Lausanne.
and he had been appointed rector of the Aca-
of Neuchatel. Official posts at Paris
also had been indirectly offered to him, but de-
clined. Prof. Hermann Lebert, the anatomist
and naturalist. who knew him well during the
twelve years of his greatest scientific activity.
from 1884 to 1S40. said OF him In 1877: "Ag-
ASST was one of the most brilliant men Of his
time. Young. handsome, of an athletic consti-
tuition, gifted with a captivating eloquence. his
spirit was animated by an Unsuitable curiosity;
his memory excellent; his perspicacity rare and
very keen, and his way OF judging and Co
ordinating facts highly philosophical in its ten
Referring to some OF his physical and
moral characteristics. the present biographer
recalls that Agassiz was u little above the
average height, although not tall. He was
squarelv built. with broad shoulders and q pow
erful and well-proportioned body. and with re-
large and. at the same time. we'll
hands, which he always used most skill
fully. They were the hands of an artist or Of n |
naturalist, ready to use tho pencil. the ham,
mer, the scalpel, or the microscope. A
minor fact worth noting is that his man
ner OF shaking hands was very cordial
and friendly. He stood firmly, though
Ma yaat wara rathar eypolI IN rnrDp a rIenp NTH
herculean structure. and he seemed
formed for walking; indeed, he was all his life
, capital pedestrian, both on level ground and
among the Alpine mountains. His head ia de-
3cribed as magnificent: his forehead was large
and we'll developed; for his brilliant, intelll- !
and searching eyes the word fascinating
Is not too strong: while his mouth and some
what voluptuOus lips were expressive and in
with an aquiline nose and we'll
chin. His hair was OF a chestnut color
and rather thin, especially on the top of his
head; by the time he was 30 years old he
signs Of badness. which greatly in
creased after his fftieth year. The only part of
body which was not in accord with
he rest was his short neck, which gave him the
appearance OF carrying his head on his shout
lers, a defect which he possessed in common
With Napoleon Bonaparte, The neck was his
weak point. and the part which failed first.
Tho bIosrapher tells us that Agassiz was
,aslly moved to tears. and. at times. cried like n
,hild. He Ind spells Of laughing. which some
lines seemed forced, but which were perfectly
Ipontaneous. 1t was almost impossible for
lin to conceal his agreeable emotions,
nut this remark Is especially applicable
o the first forty years OF his life; later. he
vas less apt to show his feelings. During the
hal; of his life he was seldom angry, how
great the provocntion might be. After
.S53, however, he sometimes go: into n passion.
wen losing control Of his words, althopr', no
lever ceased 10 he n gentleman, and was - rrfui
lOt IN wound too deeply his adversary. or the
'crson with whom he was cnrvcrsing. In con-
with this gradually increasing pro-
'cnsilv tN los" control Of words. II ma"
20 mentioned thar when n pnst-mortem
sanitation was made, traces ~ disease
we're found recorded in the brain for a period
.Rtiug hack at least twelve wears. On the
Whole, he was, rs enc Of his most persistent
nd hitter enemies said. "uH hon Cufdnt," n good
Iatured fellow. During his youth and student
lie. and even Rs late as his "gfiouTs" st tina