better informed, accused him of agnosticism, because he mentions "those whose religion consists in a blind adoration of their own construction of the Bible." Having displeased abolitionists, atheists, and pietists, he declined to furnish any more articles to religious periodicals. His second disagreeable experience at about this same period had to do with savants. The paleontologist of the state of New York came to Cambridge one day in November, 1849, with a large manuscript "Chart of the Geological Formations," intended for the use of the common schools of the whole state of New York. Agassiz indicated some improvements and additions, and gave a written testimonial. Some time after, he received a copy of another chart of the geological formations made by another person, with a request for his opinion. The sending and request came not directly from the author, but through the paleontologist of New York. Agassiz, accustomed in Europe to give freely his opinions on scientific matters, did not pause an instant to reflect, but wrote a letter disapproving this second chart. Armed with this letter and Agassiz's previous approval of his own chart, the paleontologist of New York succeeded in obtaining from those in authority at Albany the acceptance of his chart1 and the refusal of the other. The author of the second chart, having learned that the rejection of his chart was due mainly to the opinion expressed by Agassiz 1" Key to a Chart of the Successive Geological Formations, with an Actual Section from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. Illustrated by the Characteristic Fossils of Each Formation." By James Hall, Boston, 1852. in a private letter, sued Agassiz for damages before the court of justice at Albany. A rather long and expensive trial followed; and although Agassiz won his case, and showed that a savant had a right to give his opinion upon any published scientific subject, he was considerably annoyed by the proceedings, and never afterward recommended anything for publication. The truth is, that both charts were poor, and the choice between the two was rather embarrassing on that account. Agassiz's good faith, reputation, and friendship have been too often used for money-making without scruple, and not always for the good of science. CHAPTER XV. 1852 (continued)-1855. LECTURES BEFORE THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION AT WASHINGTON- AFTER leaving Charleston, Agassiz stopped at Washington, to deliver a course of lectures at the Smithsonian Institution, on the "Foundation of Symmetry in the Animal Kingdom." He had already lectured once before, at the Smithsonian, in 1850, on the "Unity of the Plan of the Animal Kingdom." The great Institution, which has since done so much for American science, and indeed for the whole world, was then in its infancy, for it had begun its operations soon after Agassiz's arrival in America, the "First Report" of the secretary, Joseph Henry, being dated Dec. 8, 1847. Professor Henry was much attracted by Agassiz's immense store of scientific knowledge and his great experience of European academies, scientific societies, scientific journals, and personal acquaintance with all the leaders, from George Cuvier, to Humboldt, Arago, and Leverrier, and quickly took advantage of his presence in America to become intimate with him, after a few years of acquaintance. The apartment he occupied in the Smithsonian Building was thrown open to Agassiz, as often as he visited or passed through Washington. Agassiz enjoyed in Henry not only his great capacity as an original observer in experimental physics and meteorology, but also his capability as a scientific administrator. Everything was to be done at once; and Henry was very glad to be able to consult Agassiz on everything connected with natural history, great collections, scientific libraries, and relations with foreign societies, institutions, and scientific bodies. The first list of foreign academies and scientific societies was suggested in a great measure by Agassiz, who asked me to help him. The instructions for collecting natural history subjects were partly translated from the "Instructions. pour les voyageurs," par l'administration du Muséum royal d'Histoire naturelle (4ième édition, Paris, 1845), of which I gladly offered copies to Agassiz and Henry. Of course, Agassiz, Baird, and Girard added a great deal to those instructions, which have contributed so much. toward making the United States National Museum the greatest depository of American natural history specimens. Although constantly in relation with Henry and his assistant, Baird, Agassiz was not appointed one of the regents of the Smithsonian Institution until Feb. 6, 1863, in place of Mr. Badger, removed, as a "traitor," during the Civil War. In the Annual Report of 1862, printed in 1863, Agassiz is for the first time on the list of regents, being the last of the list; and from that time until his death he was a constant attendant at the meetings, taking great interest in all that related to the Institution. Professor Alexander Dallas Bache, the justly celebrated director of the United States Coast Survey, was the first American savant to appreciate what a valuable addition Agassiz was to American science; and he at once put at his disposal all the vessels and steamers employed in surveying the Atlantic coast. A very strong friendship rapidly sprang up between them, and though the two men were entirely different, they admirably supplemented one another. Bache was a good and accurate mathematician, and inherited from his grandfather, Benjamin Franklin, great administrative power, two things entirely wanting in Agassiz, who knew absolutely nothing of mathematics, or even of arithmetic, and was a rather poor administrator, as we have seen. Bache preceded Henry at Washington by three years, having been appointed Professor Hassler's successor as superintendent of the United States Coast Survey, in December, 1843. Under his direction, the bureau became very important; and he had the good judgment to choose for his principal assistants the most able young officers of the army, such as Major Isaac I. Stevens, afterwards governor of Washington Territory, and major-general, United States Volunteers; Lieutenant A. A. Humphrey, afterward chief of the staff of Meade during the last Virginia campaign, and brigadier-general and chief of engineers, VOL. II.-E |