Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-11-21
Agassiz,

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Coming three months after the Long
fellow centenary, the one hundredth
anniversary Of the birth Of Jean Louis
Agassiz, Americas great scientist
(May 2S), recalls a career resembling
in many details that of Americas re-
nowned poet. Agassiz, like Longfel-
low, found a great opportunity await
ing him in this virgin western world
when he entered the field about the
middle Of the nineteenth century. But
this is not intimating that he was born
to greatness or that greatness was
thrust upon him. Such was not the
case with Agassiz, neither with Long
fellow. America had no literature of
Importance when Longfellow began to
write, especially no poetic literature.
American readers were stated with
Scott, Byron and Moore. The few ma
tive balladists had no strong grasp Of
the art of enduring poetry. A new
singer was welcome, and Longfellow
hit the demand of the hour with his
"Evangeline' in 1s47. The fame it
gave him in connection with his chair
at Harvard made him easily the big
gest man of letters in America.
Just at this time Agassiz reached
America on a scientific mission for the
king of Prussia and was enthusiastic
ally received by a group of young stu
dents of science gathered at Cam
bridge. Being speedily released from
his royal mission, he took the chair of
zoology and geology at Harvard and
as Americas first naturalist speedily
became the highest scientific authority
Of the country. He was the father of
the glacial theory, held firmly to the
doctrine of creation, and during the
long years Of debate yer evolution he
maintained a bitter hostility to OAR
winism. In his uncompromising or
thodoxy he was again like Longfellow,
the Puritan preacher in verse.
A nearby view of Agassiz, written
by Edwin p. Whipple, the author,
shows how he impressed his generation
at the height Of his career. Mr.. Whip
pie wrote:
He is not merely a scientific thinker.
He is a scientific force, and no small
to the energy, intensity and geniality
which distinguish the nature of the man.
In personal intercourse he inspires as we'll
as Informs, communicates not only knowl-
edge, but the love of knowledge, and
makes for the time everything appear Of
small account in comparison with that
subject which has possession of his soul.
To hear him speak on his favorite themes
is to become infamed with his enthusi
asm. People follow him, work for him,
contribute money for his objects. not only
from love inspired by his good fellowship,
but from the compulsion exercised by his
force. Divorced from his geniality, his
energy would be barren Of practical eff
fects. The good will he inspires in others
quickens their active faculties as we'll as
their benevolent feelings. They feel that,
magnetized by the man, they must do
something for the science im-personated
by the man. At his genial %instigation la
borers delve and dive, students toll for
specimens, merchants open their purse
legislatures pass appropriation bills.
Thus was the living Agassiz herald
GU. Liz ShClCA Is III 1OWlSc over.
drawn, and it is within bounds to add
that it was mainly because of his So
cial qualities that Agassiz welded a
wider personal influence over a wider
variety of persons than any other sci
entific man of his time. The morning
after his death, Dec. Is, 1873, the New
York Tribune closed an editorial eulo-
gy in these words:
There is none TO fill his place. A great
light has gone out in the halls Of science
and the remaining torches burning but
dimly. But the work that he has accom-
plished remains, and the vast accessions
to science which are due to his efforts
will be the most enduring Of monuments.
Professor Agassiz held that the i'm
portant thing in scientific investigation
is it's moral and spiritual value as OPP
posed to the material side. Urged to
turn his talents to mercantile uses, he
exclaimed, 81 have no time to make
money!.