Pasteur, Louis, 1822-1895; Scientists -- France -- Biography
Another arrangement occurred to Regnault: that he himself should accept
the direction of the Sèvres Manufactory, and give up to Pasteur his
professorship at the Ecole Polytechnique. Others suggested that Pasteur
should become chief lecturer at the Ecole Normale. Rumours of these
possibilities reached Strasburg, but Pasteur’s thoughts were otherwise
absorbed. He was concerned with the manner in which he could modify the
crystalline forms of certain substances which, though optically active,
did not at the first view present the hemihedral character, and with the
possibility of provoking the significant faces by varying the nature of
the dissolving agents. Biot was anxious that he should not be disturbed
in these ingenious researches, and advised him to remain at Strasburg in
terms as vigorous as any of his previous advice. “As to the accidents
which come from or depend on men’s caprice, be strong-minded enough to
disdain them yet awhile. Do not trouble about anything, but pursue
indefatigably your great career. You will be rewarded in the end, the
more certainly and unquestionably that you will have deserved it more
fully. The time is not far when those who can serve you efficiently will
feel as much pride in doing so as shame and embarrassment in not having
done so already.”
When Pasteur came to Paris in August, for what he might have called his
annual pilgrimage, Biot had reserved for him a most agreeable surprise.
Mitscherlich was in Paris, where he had come, accompanied by another
German crystallographer, G. Rose, to thank the Académie for appointing
him a foreign Associate. They both expressed a desire to see Pasteur,
who was staying in a hotel in the Rue de Tournon. Biot, starting for his
daily walk round the Luxembourg Garden, left this note: “Please come to
my house to-morrow at 8 a.m., if possible with your products. M.
Mitscherlich and M. Rose are coming at 9 to see them.” The interview was
lengthy and cordial. In a letter to his father--who now knew a great
deal about crystals and their forms, thanks to Pasteur’s lucid
explanations--we find these words. “I spent two and a half hours with
them on Sunday at the Collège de France, showing them my crystals. They
were much pleased, and highly praised my work. I dined with them on
Tuesday at M. Thenard’s; you will like to see the names of the guests:
Messrs. Mitscherlich, Rose, Dumas, Chevreul, Regnault, Pelouze, Péligot,
C. Prévost, and Bussy. You see I was the only outsider, they are all
members of the Académie.... But the chief advantage of my meeting these
gentlemen is that I have heard from them the important fact that there
is a manufacturer in Germany who again produces some racemic acid. I
intend to go and see him and his products, so as to study thoroughly
that singular substance.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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