St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-07-28
,,. For tho Democrat.
Humboldt. $685..

! " utu SIeAt htalA NASS kAt NOElu al
though it suffers loss irreparable still re-
sains the advantages Of his history. IT'S
true, Death may dissolve the link which
unites the clements Of his organic being
into a living and Intelligent substancc;and
earth reclaim the possession Of his honor
ed dust, still he leaves TO those who sur
viyc him the rich legacy Of his example,
that others may take knowledge oft and
be persuaded to its imitation. The life Df
| great man is instinct with its own i'm
| mortality, Like great principle of Ma
tuEe it Keeps repeating itself to the admir-
ing sense Of succeeding generations, in
yincib]y strong and positively sublime
| Wherever begun under whatever circum-
stances developed, whether like that Of
Byron kindliDg the fires Of its passionate
Muse, out of the ruins of decayed nobil-
ity, or as exhibited III Burns full of heroic
imagination and genial with the sympa.
| thles which crowd q peasants heart and
home, in every case it is the same with
its contour completely filed up with moral
and intellectual greatness and profuse in
! highly wrought and effective manifesto
tions. It is impossible FOR great man to
find retirement. His life and actions are
matters Of public interest. We all feel as
if we had property in the development
OF his genius. Those developments be-
come so entangled in the skein of our So
cial experiences and their influences SO
impressed upon the age and country that
history Of the times necessarily embodies
3 history Of himself. In the great edit 30
Of humanity its great men are it's pillars Of
Strengths elaborate]y wrought aud f.
nished architecture, that which gives it
! its imposing and dignided appearance.
! They proffer human counsel at its ap~
breaches and its exits, and wall it about
with the results Of their large experiences.
A great man lives in the majesty and
jsplendour Of its Accomplishments. No
matter in what sphere he may have dis
tinguished himself, whether AZ a philoso-
pher, philanthropist, statesman G. scholar,
ii he achieves great results ard confers
positive benefits upon the world he re-
ceaves its historic blessing: a. great man
lives from the necessities which attend his
1existence. It requires no effort on his
part to repel forgetfulness, but time, har-
argues the ear Of immortality With per
pesual suggestions of his merits. IT'S true
Envy may for while dissuade Justice
from the exercise Of her divine functions;
and rival interests in the hands Of enc
mics ALLEVIATE the worlds esteem still be
/ yoad the destructive limit Of orainay YEA
|pons, his character stands defiant and im-
posing, concious Of its strength and deter
mined to maintain its position no msttes
what may be the result
No csuntry can appropriate the genius Of
agccat man. The scope Of his influence
coDaprehends not only individuals but hu.
naanity.. His genius lrrad,ates its light
everywhere. He is as sun to the uni,
! verse Of intellectually, less visible perhaps
: : when very remote, but still! sensible to ali
Ono Of the great lights of science has
lately gone out in the person If the greai
naturalist, Humboldt, venerable ia years
exalted in his social POSITION distinguish.
ed alike for the simplicity which charac.
terized his life and his long devotion tc
the study Of the natural sciences, his
death though long expected has seemed tc
revive the Importance of his individual
services and a just estimate Of the loss Of
those services to the world. A review o1
his character necessarily embodies a dis,
cussion Of nearly all the elements which
r enter into the composition of great man
' for he had them nearly all. Unlike most
other distinguished men his character was
diversified by variety Of attainments.-
AS naturalist, economist, linguist, ,theolo-
glan or traveller, he was a master and few
dared contest with him, in either of these
branches, for the j championship The
scope and fertility of his genius was al,
most miraculous It is impossible in a
: short newspaper article to give anything
-, ike just account OF the character Of
Humboldt, a life which will hereafter fil]
: one ct the brightest and most interesting
pages in history, and which IS illustrated
IN extensive scientific works like his can-
not yield to such limited dictation. His
character is only clearly visible through
4 the extent and variety Of his labors and
= offers inducements for a thorough and mi.
mute investigation. In the most positive
sense Of the word Humboldt was great
: mana man whose fame will survive him
"a man who sensible Of his great powers
j. exercised them and achieved distinguish.
ed results. No foreigner has ever so com
:, pletely woD the American hearts admira-
a ton BY, bare intellectual i exercise alone,
nnaccompanied BY military displays as has
: Baron Won Humboldt. American news
papers and magazines have over given him