A woman
approached Dr. Louis Agassiz, a distinguished American naturalist, after a
lecture he gave in London. She complained that she had never really had a
chance to learn because of her lot in life. She and her sister ran a boarding house
and she simply didn't have time for anything else. After listening to the
woman's story, Dr. Agassiz responded, "Do you say madam, you never had a
chance? What do you do?" She replied, "I skin potatoes and chop
onions."
"On the
bottom step of the kitchen stairs."
"Where do
your feet rest?"
"On the
glazed brick."
"What is
glazed brick?"
"I don't
know, sir."
"How long
have you been sitting there?"
"Fifteen
years."
Dr. Agassiz then
handed her his business card saying, "Madam, here is my personal card.
Would you kindly write me a letter concerning the nature of a glazed
brick?" An odd request indeed especially from someone so highly esteemed
in the scientific world. The woman took the request seriously.
She looked up
“brick” in the dictionary which stated that it was a piece of baked clay. This
definition was far too simple to send to a famous scientist, so she continued
her search moving on to the encyclopedia. She visited museums and libraries to
obtain more in-depth articles. She even visited a local brickyard. When she
felt her studies were complete on the matter, she sat down and wrote Dr.
Agassiz a 36-page letter on the subject of glazed brick and tile.
In time, a reply
came from Dr. Agassiz in which he informed her that it was the best article he
had ever seen on the subject and then said, “I will have it published and pay
you for it.” Soon a letter was received by the spinster containing $250 quite a
large sum in that day.
Accompanying the
payment was another question, "What is under those bricks?" She
looked under the bricks and discovered ants. Thus she began an in-depth study
of ants. She found there were as many as 2,500 different kinds. In order to
understand the ant family she needed to study other subjects as well.
After extensive
reading and careful study, she wrote 360 pages on the subject to Dr. Agassiz.
This time he published it as a book and sent her a large sum of money which she
used to travel and visit all the lands of her dreams.
There is no lack
of opportunity, only a lack of curiosity!