Part 10 (1/2)

BERLIN, January 21, 1833

It giveswelcoassiz, who stands so high in science, and whose intellectual qualities are enhanced by his a that they intend the place of M Leuckart in zoology forfriend The choice is proposed by M Tiedeassiz Nevertheless, I hope that he will refuse it He should reement facilitates the publication of his work, which is of equal iy

I have spoken with M Ancillon, and have left with hiassiz collection The difficulty will be found, as in all human affairs, in the prose of life, in : ”Your paper in favor of M Agassiz is a scientific letter of credit which we shall try to honor The acquisition of a superior man and a superior collection at the same time would be a double conquest for the principality of Neuchatel I have requested a report fro this, and I hope that private individualstoward it” Thus you see the affair is at least on the right road I do not think, however, that the royal treasury will give at present arding the invitation to Heidelberg, Agassiz's decision was already made A letter to his brother toward the close of December mentions that he is offered a professorshi+p at the University of Heidelberg, but that, although his answer has not actually gone, he has resolved to decline it; adding that the larger salary is counterbalanced in hishis collection at Neuchatel, and thus freeing hiassiz was now threatened with a great un to suffer from the strain of microscopic work They now becaed to abate his activity, and to refrain even fro this time, while he was shut up in a darkened roo even the tip of the tongue to feel out the iers were not sufficiently sensitive He said he was sure at the ti himself in this way to such delicacy of touch that the loss of sight would not oblige him to abandon his work

After soh at times threatened with a return of the sahout life, to use his eyes more uninterruptedly than most persons His lectures, always delivered exteth of tiassiz to Huht, which was evidently put aside (perhaps on account of the trouble in his eyes), and only coh imperfect, it explains Hu in itself, but throws light on Agassiz's work at this period

AGassIZ TO HUMBOLDT

NEUCHATEL, January 27, 1833

A thousand thanks for your last ave me, or how I am cheered and stimulated to new activity by intercourse with you on so intis have become more clear tothe ”Fossil Fishes”

here Certain doubts remain in my mind, however, about which, as well as about other matters, I would ask your advice Now that Cotta is dead, I cannot wait till I have ement with his successor I therefore allow the ”Fresh-Water Fishes” to lie by and drive on the others Upon careful examination I have found, to my astonishment, that all necessary means for the publication of such a work are to be had here: two good lithographers and two printing establishments, both of which have excellent type I have sent for Weber to engrave the plates, or draw them on stone; he will be here at the end of the in at once, and hope in May to send out the first nureat difficulty re a sufficient sale so that they ularity

I think it better to begin the publication as a whole than to send out an abridgood illustrations A suive the plates at once I can shorten the text and present the general results as an introduction to the first number With twelve nues of text, I can tell all that I have to say The cost of one hundred and fifty copies printed here would, according to careful inquiry, be covered by seventy subscriptions if the price were put at one louis-d'or the number

Now comes the question whether I should print more than one hundred and fifty copies On account of the expense I shall not preserve the stones For the distribution of the copies and the collecting of the money could you, perhaps, reco, ould take the work for sale in Gerland, I wrote yesterday to Lyell, and to-e

Both the istrates and private individuals here are now much interested in public instruction, and I am satisfied that sooner or laterhas been said about it lately ( His collection was finally purchased by the city of Neuchatel in the spring of 1833)

For a closer description ofall the ante-chalk bony fishes, I am anxious to have for dissection a Polypterus bi+chir and a Lepidosteus osseus, or any other species belonging exclusively to the present creation

Hitherto, I have only been able to examine and describe the skeleton and external parts If you could obtain a specireatest service If necessary, I will engage to return the preparations I beg for this ive the many requests contained in this letter, and see in it only my ardent desire to reach my aim, in which you have already helped me so often and so kindly

HUMBOLDT TO AGassIZ

SANS SOUCI, July 4, 1833

I aassiz, happy in your char been able to do so that may be useful to you for the subscription The Prince Royal's name see, not because I aoes on crescendo; there is not a scholar in Prussia or Ger, or of M

d'Altenstein, who does not think it necessary to ent, with power of attorney), but because it was necessary to await the Prince Royal's return fro to hi

Your prospectus is full of interest, and does ample justice to those who have provided you withthem was an affectionate deceit, the ruse of a noble soul like yours; I am a little vexed with you about it ( The feords which called forth this protest fro all those froassiz concludes:--”Finally, I owe to M de Humboldt not only important notes on fossil fishes, but sotheiver” This will hardly seeeration to those who know the facts of the case)

Here is the beginning of a list I think the Department of the Mines de Province will take three or four htened at the brevity of the listI a subscriptions, seeing no one but the court, and forced to be out of town three or four days in the week On account of this sah the publisher, only h the publisher also, to the individuals na on each copy that the person has subscribed on the list of M de Humboldt

With all my affection for you, e of the distribution of your nu houses of Dummler or of Humblot and Dunker would be useful to you at Berlin I find it difficult to believe that you will navigate successfully aiu You see that I do not neglect your interests, and that, for love of you, I even turn journalist You have omitted to state in your prospectus whether your plates are lithographed, as I fear they are, and also whether they are colored, which sees remained in your possession, or are they included in the sale of your collection?

I could not , and I have suppressed it You have been ill-advised as to the for” has too poetical a turn; we have here theofficial expressions M de Pfuel e the formula of a letter for you At the head there racious sovereign and lord”

Then you begin, ”Your Royal Majesty, deeply moved, I venture to lay at your feet ranted to the purchase of my collection for the Gymnasium in Neuchatel Did I knorite,” etc The rest of your letter was very good; put only ”so race as to answer”

instead of ”so much kindness” You should end with the words, ”I remain till death, in deepest reverence, the most humble and faithful servant of your Royal Majesty” The whole on s's Majesty, Berlin” Send the letter, not through h M de Pfuel

( At the head there ,--allergnadigster Konig und Herr” Then you begin, ”Euer koniglichen Majestat, wage ich te Unterstutzung zueruhrt allerunterthanigst zu Fussen zu legen Wusste ich zu schreiben,”