Nebraska advertiser., 1859-06-09
BiographIeaI.
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From Harper's Woekly.l
The Late Barren HambOldf.

II Not many mOntlS since we puDllSned
touching tribute from the pen of Blron
Humboldt 10 the memory Of his old friend
and ,fellow-trayeler, Aime Bonpland.- IL
The Great German expressed almost a
sad surprise ihat it should be his destiny
10 outlive SO many Of his cotemporaries,
and foretold bis own speedy release from
the labors he loved s. we'll The pro-
/ phecy is fal6lled. On the 9Th day of May.
ia the City Of Berlin, Alexander Yon
Humboldt died. at the age Of ninety years.
The common consent of the civilized
world permits us te pronounce him the
greatest man Of his age. Few, IF any,
possessed so varied range of aitainfnents;
no one ever used vast knowledge more
nobly than he. The sciences-astronolnv,
chemistry, geology, mineralogy. natural
history, physics, anatomy--svere not more
familiar to him than politics, law and
bellies leitres; in all be was MASTER
Whether we consider the sum Of his ad-
ditions to the general stock of know facts,
Or the valuable generalization and laws
which he deduced from'the discovery Of
others, we shall find it difficult TO name
any philosopher of the present day who
can be compared to him. Personal adj
Vantages enhanced the fame Of his men
4 tai triumphs. After a youth spent in the
successful pursuit Of knowledge under
surprising difficulties and in spite ef
formidable dangers, he enjoyed a serene
and beautiful old age, and set an example
Of rare industry, and unvaried equinimity
at time of life when neither the facul-
ties nor the temper are expected to be
bright. Unlike many benefaclors Of
kuluanily, be was fortunate enough 10
reap bis reward in bis lifetime. He saw
lis fame surpass that Of conquerors and
nnonarchs, and received, for the last quar-
ter of his lie, homage more universal
than any other man of his day. No
funeral honors or posthumous eulogies
can enhance the -veneration with which
the name Of Humboldt has been worship
ed for a quarter Of century throughout
the civilized world.
/ He was born at Berlin On September
i IA. 1863; his father was soldier Of dis
unction and man Of wealth. Left
| faiherless at the age of ten. Friedrich
Heinrich AIexander-this was his name
--was carefully educated by judicious
relatives, and spent creditable career
at the universities of Berlin and GotIin-
i gen. His taste for scientific pursuits has
| Ted him to devote especial attention to
! geology and mineralogy; and, after a
couple of years study at Fribourg, he
became, at the age of %, a director of the
works at Baireuth. He had previously
travelled extensively through Germany,
Holland, and England, and had published
a small work on the basaltic rocks on the
Rhine. His labors at Baireuth increased
his love for science: he made himself
master of all that was then known Of
chemistry. galvanism, botany. and geolo-
gy and the death of his mother placing
bin in possession Of independent properly,
he sold his estates, threw up his situation,
and determined to devote himself to
science.
Having determined to choose a new
field for HE observations, he was some
what embarrassed in his selection. War
was raging throughout Europe at the time.
/ He proposed TO explore scientifically
Southern Italy, and actually set out with
la friend; but the British cruisers COM
\ PEELED the relinquishment Of the enter
prise. He planned tour through North
Africa, and got as far as Marseilles; but
the war again interfered, and he aban-
doned the project. He had met at Paris
the late NJ. Bonpland, then appointed
naturalist 10 a scientific expedition TO South
America but the war put stop to this
too. Almost in despair, he and Bonpland
resolved to devote themselves to a series
Of scientific experiments and observations
in Spain, and left France accoTdingly.--
While they were in Spain the Govern
nent of that country became acquainted
with Hunlboldt's extraordinary attain
ments, and anticipated his fondest hopes
by soliciting him to undertake the explo.
ration of Spanish America. It need not
be added that the offer was ioyfully ac-
cepted.
On June 4th, 1889, Humboldt sailed
from Corunna on his great voyage. Even
10 give brief summary Of the results
Of Eve years journeyings would exhaust
far more than the space allotted to this
sketch. It must suffice TO say that, having
touched at Teneriffe, and obtained some
valuable observations Of and from the
Peak, the illustrious traveller landed al
Cumana. IN the middle Of July, and de-
voted eighteen months to a thorough ex-
ploraiion of the wilderness which now
constitutes the State of Venezuela, laying
down the true course of the Orinoco and
, other rivers, and collecting the materials
for an accurate account of the physical
geography Of that section Of country
From thence he went to Cuba, travelled
over the island. and made SO thorough an
examination of It's resources and peculiar
ilies. that his work on Cuba, old as i IS,
is the most valuable we have In March,
Il 1901, he left Cuba for the main land, IN
tending 10 make Panama his starting point
Accident drove him further south. He
made Bogota his point Of departure,
and from thence, in spite of the rainy
season. crossed the Continent to The
Pacific. and carefully surveyed Peru. Chill
and the whole Pacific slope of the Andes
Il was during this toDr that be made hi:
famous ascent Of Chm borazo: be attain,