Nebraska advertiser., 1859-06-09


and enriched science with an unpreeedent-
ed series Of observations. Tia Chill be
was enabled to study The phenomena Of
earthquakes, as, In Venezuela, he had
studied meteoric showers his views on
/ these subjects have never been conirovert-
ed. After spending twenty-five months
in South America he repaired to Mexico,
visited its greai volcanoes, lafd down the
course Of several of its rivers and noun
tain ranges, and obtained d thorough
/ knowledge Of the country. From Mexico
! he sailed. by way Of Havana. 10 Philadel-
phia, and spent a couple Of months in this
Il country; from whence, at length. ia July,
1904, he sailed for France, with the fruits
of five years. indefatigable and Intelligent
travel--such a store Of facts, drawings
and observations as no previcus traveller
had ever been able to collect.
Some idea Of the value Of his Ameri-
can harvest may be gathered from the
fact that bis published account Of his
travels in South America and Mexico
compiseS Seventeen volumes folio. and
eleven volumes quarto, and costs $4,000 a
copy. Il took him twelve years to write
/ After the completion Of this gigantic
labor be travelled through parts Of Italy
which be bad not seen, and spent some
time at Rome at the villa Of bis brother
WilhelIn, He was enabled ID witness q
| great eruption Of Vesuvius, and obtained
some valuable observations. In 1918 be
finally took up his residence at Berlin,
where he was eagerly welcomed by the
king and coprtas well as by the sa1ans
| The Prussians we're 50 proud Of him, and
SO fearful of losing him-strong induce
menls were held out to him to settle in
France-that he was made councillor Of
State, and given to understand that no
favor would be too great for him 10 ask.
He had no political ambition, however,
and was happy in being able to prosecute
bis studies.
In 1929 the Emperor Of Russia resolv-
| ed TO have a survey made Of his Asialic
possessions. and offered Humboldt ihe
direction of the work. The offer was
accepted, and in company with two dis
4 tinguished sayans Humboldt travelled
through Siberia and Tartary. spending
nine months in collecting ample material
for an account of the physical geography
of Central Asia. His travels were pub
lished by the Russian Government in a
magnificent form, and at his suggestion a
series Of observations were undertaken
which have been Of great use 10 science.
Nicholas would gladly have retained
Humboldt in Russia, but found him In
| aexibly attached to his native land.
/ On his return home HUMBOLDT found
tthe revolutions of 1880 in progress, and
filled his first diplomatic part by going to
! Paris, on behalf of Prussia, ID recognize
4 Louis Philippe. He was much occupied
then and for some years afterwards in
political concerns. With the King Of
Prussia be lived on terms Of almost
brOtherly intimacy and though bis pOliti-
cal opinions were much too liberal for his
soYereign--he was, in fact, d thorough
republican-her represented Prussia faith
fully and honorably on severaI nomentous
occasions The crisis of 1S4S is said to
have led to some. decided expressions of
Ais liberal views, and for a time to have
Iestranged him from his royal friend but
the separation was brief--the King was
very good man at bottom, and meant well
The could not live without Humboldt
who. for bis part. was 50 much engrossed
with scientific concerns as to be rarely
anxious about politics.
! Shortly after his return from Russia he
planned bis magnvn1 opus, which, he in
tended, should contain The sum of his
requirements, and should demonstrate the
harmonies of the universe. To this great
work be gave the appropriate title of
Cosmos the World He began il In
1881 but for long period the work was
interrupted. and the first volume did not
/ appear till many years afterward. The
| fifth was published shortly before his death
The work is so well known as to need no
/ description here. 1t is enough to say Of
it that it contains the sum and reason Of
Ethe knowledge Of the most comprehen-
sive mind Of the present age
! The problem he sought TO soIve-the
demonstration of the perfect unity of the
divine purpose. and the harmony Of all
the divine laws-has not been solved, be-
cause all science is yet in infancy. and the
sum of what we know Il small IN COM
parison with that which we have yet to
learn. But any one who wants to know
how much the human mind grasps, and
how far the human eye has CROPPED into
the mist Of knowledge, viii find what he
seeks in Cosmos
One of the most striking characteristics
of Humboldt was the remarkable quick
ness with which he turned every hing to
good account-even accidents and iisap-
poin,ments. Every man was for him &
new problem solved. to be stored away in
the proper shelf in bis capacious Inind.--
Tnckerman says of him IF delayed by
fthe events Of war from embarking on his
American expedition, he occupied himself
IN iascertaining the height Of the central
plains of CASTLE; when becalned on
soundings, he examined the weeds col
lected on The lead 10 gain new light fol
the theory Of the eoloring Of plants; lbe
haze that for many hours confealed from
bis sight The Peak Of Teneritfe induced
ingenious speculations on the effects d
atmosphere on vision. Our Couptryman
Mr.. SquieF. who visited hlm al Berlin