Читать книгу Louis Agassiz: His Life and Correspondence - Louis Agassiz - Страница 53

First Important Work in Natural History.

Spix's Brazilian Fishes.

Second Vacation Trip.

Sketch of Work during University Year.

Extracts from the Journal of Mr. Dinkel.

Home Letters.

Hope of joining Humboldt's Asiatic Expedition.

Diploma of Philosophy.

Completion of First Part of the Spix Fishes.

Letter concerning it from Cuvier.

It was not without a definite purpose that Agassiz had written to his father some weeks before, "Should I during the course of my studies succeed in making myself known by a distinguished work, would you not then consent that I should study for one year the natural sciences alone?" Unknown to his parents, for whom he hoped to prepare a delightful surprise, Agassiz had actually been engaged for months on the first work which gave him distinction in the scientific world; namely, a description of the Brazilian fishes brought home by Martius and Spix from their celebrated journey in Brazil. This was the secret to which allusion is made in the next letter. To his disappointment an accident brought his undertaking to the knowledge of his father and mother before it was completed. He always had a boyish regret that his little plot had been betrayed before the moment for the denouement arrived. The book was written in Latin and dedicated to Cuvier.* (* "Selecta genera et species piscium quos collegit et pingendos curavit Dr. J.W. de Spix". Digessit, descripsit et observationibus illustravit Dr. L. Agassiz.)