“After I had finished, M. Dumas, who occupied the chair, rose and addressed me in these words. After praising the zeal I had brought to this novel kind of teaching at the Society’s request, and the so great penetration I had given proof of, in the course of the work I had just expounded, he added, ‘The Académie, sir, rewarded you a few days ago for other profound researches; your audience of this evening will applaud you as one of the most distinguished professors we possess.’
“All I have underlined was said in those very words by M. Dumas, and was followed by great applause.
“All the students of the scientific section of the Ecole Normale were present; they felt deeply moved and several of them have expressed their emotion to me.
“As for myself, I saw the realization of what I had foreseen. You know how I have always told you confidentially that time would see the growth of my researches on the molecular dissymmetry of natural organic products. Founded as they were on varied notions borrowed from divers branches of science—crystallography, physics, and chemistry—those studies could not be followed by most scientists so as to be fully understood. On this occasion I presented them in the aggregate with some clearness and power and every one was struck by their importance.
“It is not by their form that these two lectures have delighted my hearers, it is by their contents; it is the future reserved to those great results, so unexpected, and opening such entirely new vistas to physiology. I have dared to say so, for at these heights all sense of personality disappears, and there only remains that sense of dignity which is ever inspired by true love of science.
“God grant that by my persevering labours I may bring a little stone to the frail and ill-assured edifice of our knowledge of those deep mysteries of Life and Death where all our intellects have so lamentably failed.
“P.S.—Yesterday I presented to the Academy my researches on spontaneous generation; they seemed to produce a great sensation. More later.”
When Biot heard that Pasteur wished to tackle this study of spontaneous generation, he interposed, as he had done seven years before, to arrest him on the verge of his audacious experiments on the part played by dissymmetrical forces in the development of life. Vainly Pasteur, grieved at Biot’s disapprobation, explained that this question, in the course of such researches, had become an imperious necessity; Biot would not be convinced. But Pasteur, in spite of his quasi-filial attachment to Biot, could not stop where he was; he had to go through to the end.
“You will never find your way out,” cried Biot.
“I shall try,” said Pasteur modestly.