The Nevada Democrat., 1858-12-22
RARON HUNIROLnT.

There is one name says the Philadelphia
North american, which is held in such honor as
to require no accessories Of any sort to give it
dignity, and which has been SO held for Pc
riod longer than many suppose. AS early as
1929, Frederick Henry Alexander Won Hum
boldt. was appointed an acting Privy Council
lor Of the Prussian court, with title of Excellen-
cy, and he retains that post now, as he enters
thirty years later, on the ninetieth year of his
honored live. That honor was never before
conferred upon one not of royal lineage, and
whatever value we may set upon such restric-
tion, it is still the highest proof that the Prus-
sian government could give that it for once re-
cognized greatness superior to oil other distinc-
tions. More than thirty years yet earlier, Hum
boldt travelled extensively in South America,
having left Europe by way of Coruna, in Spain
in June 1893. He spent the next three years
mainly in the tropical regions of Southern and
Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies.
In May, 1904, he reached Philadelphia, on his
hemeward journey, and visiting Washington
and other points within reach during two
months, sailed from this port in August for
Bordeaux. Such was the then unnoticed visit
of the great student of physical science who
now, in the bodily weakness of ninety years
but with the clear and strong mind which has
ever distinguished him, receives the united hon
ors of all men, from the most democratic 10 ger
of science in the United States to Queen Victo-
ria and her royal consort on their Prussan
tour.
1t is the greatest and brightest feature of
Humboldt's fame, that it is accorded not more
because he is great, but because he is just. His
character is, perhaps more than that Of any
scientific man of any age, unselfish None Of
the injustice and graspng which stained Ara
,st k,p IrnI @knr A
and some as great as he was ever charged or
thought against Humboldt He did not need
TO appropriate honors not his own, nor to ig-
more merit where the public could never inter-
vene to protect the unknown scientific laborer.
Discoveries wrought out by the hands ofretired
non-combatant prosecutors of researches were
never stolen and put forth slightly moulded and
modified, as his own work. Indeed the sug-
geston of such deeds is almost out of place and
unworthy when Humboldt is named, SO far
above this vice of so many who seek scientific
honors is all that relates to this Privy Coun-
cillor of Nature for more than sixty years.
The leading characteristic of Humboldts g
mental organization is an unequaled capacity
for comprehending all positive knowledge of
what are called natural phenomena and an un-
equaled power of generalization upon this class
of facts. This power of generalization is a
rare one, and it differs extremely from the an
alytical process, or that by which student
pursues single line of experiments until he
attains to knowledge of the law that governs
the facts that he traces. Humboldt has no spe-
cialty, as it is inelegantly called, and he stands
at vast distance from all scientists of that
class. The breadth and fulness Of his mastery
of the great science of nature, which embraces
within it hundred minor sciences, has been
conspicuous at every period of his life, and was
lioso h. tha 4,
which he entered upon the great American ex-
plorations at the close OF the last century
grasping, even then, not only all known natu-
raj sciences, but observing and evolving others
then unknown, and which were too great to7be
studied in one continent alone. 1t is decisive
evidence of his greatness of scope to see that
we have not yet, after half century of unpar-
alleled mental activity, got beyond the work
he opened out in his great American journey,
and put in definite form when his equally great
Asatic journeys of 1828-9 were N progress.
The recognition of this high capacity has
been made on the reception Of the KOsmos, and
we have yet to see single suggestion from any
quarter, that this Physical History of the Uni
verse was conceived on too grand scale, or
has been inadequately treated in any of its
parts. OF what other author, scientific or phil
Osophical, can ii be said that to attempt Kos
mos would not be presumptuous? There ne-
ther is or has been any competent hand other
than or before his, for such a work, and Amer
lean readers, who find themselves baflled in the
perusal Of the portion which has already been
issued must bear in mind that no edition has
yet appeared which has been more than half
rendered from the German. or more than half
cleared of idoms and technical obscurities, as
might have been cleared. The fourth volume
of the Kosmos is now Just offered in our book
Npnrli oh trou cInti inn and fho
fifth volume is completed at Berlin and about
to appear there. 1t was supposed that the
fourth volume would close the work, but we be-
lieve that year of health on the part of the il
lustrious author will add another appendix-like
volume to the ive
So much it seems pertinent to say at the pas
sage of the eighty-ninth birthday of this great
master of science. He was born at Berlin, Sep
tember 14th, 1863, and more than half centu-
ry since visited this city, then ripe traveller
and scientific observer, who had spent thirteen
years in such service, and more than four years
In tropical America. Mature and masterly in
all departments of natural science, at that time
he was not allowed a month of the tifty-five
years since passed to go unemployed, aud we
need not wonder at his attainments when we
bear in mind his mental structure. To us it
may not be easily explained how the social and
political struggles of this period could avoid
involving man of such universal activity, and
we choose to place it to the account Of clear
ness of vision which could see through the
weakness of the apparent or pretended friends
of greater liberty and higher social state, and
foreseeing their shortcomings, wait calmly for
the slow progress of the ages.
One thing is true-that Humboldts influence
on the Prussian Government has always been
strongly liberalizing. Russia, particularly,
owes him much in this respect, and all Central
Europe has felt more or less of his influence
FOR peace and advancement. A man who 80
advances physical science, and who so renders
is pursuit illustrious, wields an influence sec
md to none other, without effort or exertion to
i've that influence any special direction.