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the same 〃the injustice was too unheard…of； and no one had ever seen or
would ever see the like： to give him two licentiate's diplomas； and to make
him conjugate verbs for a pack of brats！ It was too much！〃 （2/16。）
CHAPTER 3。 CORSICA。
At last the chair of physics fell vacant at the college of Ajaccio； the
salary being 72 pounds sterling； and he left for Corsica。 His stay there
was well calculated to impress him。 There the intense impressionability
which the little peasant of Aveyron received at birth could only be
confirmed and increased。 He felt that this superb and luxuriant nature was
made for him； and that he was born for it； to understand and interpret it。
He would lose himself in a delicious intoxication； amid the deep woodlands；
the mountains rich with scented flowers； wandering through the maquis； the
myrtle scrub； through jungles of lentisk and arbutus； barely containing his
emotion when he passed beneath the great secular chestnut…trees of
Bastelica； with their enormous trunks and leafy boughs； whose sombre
majesty inspired in him a sort of melancholy at once poetic and religious。
Before the sea； with its infinite distances； he lingered in ecstasy；
listening to the song of the waves； and gathering the marvellous shells
which the snow…white breakers left upon the beach； and whose unfamiliar
forms filled him with delight。
He was soon so accustomed to his new life in peaceful Ajaccio； whose
surroundings； decked in eternal verdure； are so captivating and so
beautiful； that in spite of a vague desire for change he now dreaded to
leave it。 He never wearied of admiring and exalting the beautiful and
majestic aspects of his new home。 How he longed to share his enthusiasm
with his father or his brother； as he rambled through the neighbouring
maquis！
〃The infinite； glittering sea at my feet； the dreadful masses of granite
overhead； the white； dainty town seated beside the water； the endless
jungles of myrtle； which yield intoxicating perfumes； the wastes of
brushwood which the ploughshare has never turned； which cover the mountains
from base to summit； the fishing…boats that plough the gulf： all this forms
a prospect so magnificent； so striking； that whosoever has beheld it must
always long to see it again。〃 （3/1。）
〃What is their rock of Pierrelatte； that enormous block of stone which
overhangs the place where they dwell； a reef which rises from the surface
of the ancient sea of alluvium； compared with these blocks of uprooted
granite which lie upon the hillsides here？〃
And what were the Aubrac hills which traversed his native country； what was
the Ventoux even； that famous Alp； 〃beside the peaks which rise about the
gulf of Ajaccio； always crowned with clouds and whitened with snow； even
when the soil of the plains is scorching and rings like a fired brick？〃
Time did nothing to abate these first impressions； and after more than a
year on the island he was still full of wonder 〃at the sight of these
granite crests； corroded by the severities of the climate； jagged；
overthrown by the lightning； shattered by the slow but sure action of the
snows； and these vertiginous gulfs through which the four winds of heaven
go roaring； these vast inclined planes on which snow…drifts form thirty；
sixty； and ninety feet in depth； and across which flow winding watercourses
which go to fill； drop by drop； the yawning craters； there to form lakes；
black as ink when seen in the shadow； but blue as heaven in the light。。。
〃But it would be impossible for me to give you the least idea of this dizzy
spectacle； this chaos of rocks； heaped in frightful disorder。 When； closing
my eyes； I contemplate these results of the convulsion of the soil in my
mind's eye； when I hear the screaming of the eagles； which go wheeling
through the bottomless abysses； whose inky shadows the eye dares hardly
plumb； vertigo seizes me； and I open my eyes to reassure myself by the
reality。〃
And he sends with his letter a few leaves of the snow immortellethe
edelweissplucked on the highest summits； amid the eternal snows； 〃you
will put this in some book； and when； as you turn the leaves； the
immortelle meets your eyes； it will give you an excuse for dreaming of the
beautiful horrors of its native place。〃 （3/2。）
What a misfortune for him； what regret he would feel； 〃if he had now to go
to some trivial country of plains； where he would die of boredom！〃
For him everything was unfamiliar： not only the flora； but the maritime
wealth of this singular country。 He would set out of a morning； visiting
the coves and creeks； roving along the beaches of this magnificent gulf； a
lump of bread in his pocket； quenching his thirst with sea…water in default
of fresh！
They were mornings full of rosy illusions； whose smiling hopes were
revealed in his admirable letters to his brother。 Already he meditated a
conchology of Corsica； a colossal history of all the molluscs which live
upon its soil or in its waters。 （3/3。） He collected all the shells he could
procure。 He analysed； described； classed； and co…ordinated not only the
marine species； but the terrestrial and freshwater shells also； extant or
fossil。 He asked his brother to collect for him all the shells he could
find in the marshes of Lapalud； in the brooks and ditches of the
neighbourhood of Orange。 In his enthusiasm he tried to convince him of the
immense interest of these researches； which might perhaps seem ridiculous
or futile to him； but let him only think of geology； the humblest shell
picked up might throw a sudden light upon the formation of this or that
stratum。 None are to be disdained： for men have considered； with reason；
that they were honouring the memory of their eminent fellows by giving
their names to the rarest and most beautiful。 Witness the magnificent Helix
dedicated to Raspail； which is found only in the caverns where the
strawberry…tree grows amid the high mountains of Corsica。 （3/4。）
Moreover； he said； 〃the infinitesimal calculus of Leibnitz will show you
that the architecture of the Louvre is less learned than that of a snail：
the eternal geometer has unrolled his transcendent spirals on the shell of
the mollusc that you； like the vulgar profane； know only seasoned with
spinach and Dutch cheese。〃 （3/5。）
For all that； he did not neglect his mathematics； in which； on the
contrary； he found abundant and suggestive recreation。 The properties of a
figure or a curve which he had newly discovered prevented his sleep for
several nights。
〃All this morning I have been busy with star…shaped polygons； and have
proceeded from surprise to surprise。。。perceiving in the distance； as I
advanced； unforeseen and marvellous consequences。〃
Here； among others； is one question which suddenly presented itself to his
mind 〃in the midst of the spikes〃 of his polygons： what would be the period
of the rotation of the sun on its own centre if its atmosphere reached as
far as the