The life of Pasteur / translated from the French by Mrs. R.L. Devonshire.

  • René Vallery-Radot
Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The life of Pasteur / translated from the French by Mrs. R.L. Devonshire. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    arrival from Besançon of 200 grenadiers, four squadrons of light cavalry, and a small battery of artillery sent to reduce the rebels. The sous-préfet of Poligny having asked the rioters who were their leaders, they answered with one voice, “We are all leaders.” A few days later the great, the good news was published in all the newspapers : “ Arbois, Lyons, and Paris are pacified.” The Arboisians called their neighbours “ the Braggarts of Salins,” probably wdth the ingenious inten- tion of turning such a well-deserved accusation from them- selves. Louis Pasteur, whose mind already had a serious bent, preferred to these recent anecdotes such historical records as that of the siege of Arbois under Henry IV, when the Arbois- ians held out for three whole days against a besieging army of 25,000 men. His childish imagination, after being worked upon by these stories of local patriotism, eagerly seized upon ideals of a higher patriotism, and fed upon the glory of the French people as represented by the conquests of the Empire. He watched his parents, day by day working under dire neces- sity and ennobling their weary task by considering their children’s education almost as essential as their daily bread ; and, as in all things the father and mother took an interest in noble motives and principles, their material life was lightened and illumined by their moral life. One more friend, the headmaster of Arbois college, M. Eomanet, exerted a decisive influence on Louis Pasteur’s career. This master, who was constantly trying to elevate the mind and heart of his pupils, inspired Louis with great admiration as well as with respect and gratitude. Eomanet considered that whilst instruction doubled a man’s value, educa- tion, in the highest sense of the word, increased it tenfold. He was the first to discover in Louis Pasteur the hidden spark that had not yet revealed itself by any brilliant success in the hardworking schoolboy. Louis’ mind worked so carefully that he was considered slow ; he never affirmed anything of wdiich he was not absolutely sure ; but with all his strength and caution he also had vivid imaginative faculties. Eomanet, during their strolls round the college playground, took pleasure in awakening wdth an educator’s interest the leading qualities of this young nature—circumspection and enthusiasm. The boy, who had been sitting over his desk
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