The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-05-19

Death OF Baron Alexander Humboldt.
One Of the greatest Of this age any other age
has paid the debt to nature which all mus yield last The
eegraphc intelligence from Europe In another column
nouDCes the death Of the lustrous Alexander Won Hum
bodt, known also Baron Humboldt To the las. he
tanned the brightness and vgor of his Intellect and the
cheerful buoyancy Of his spirits. He has ages
the last Of the eighteenth and than the st ha
Of the nineteenth century and he witnessed The greatest
discoveries and changes that have taKen place in the
history of the world for many hundred years.
the same year with Napoleon, he knew the Great Frece
rick; his youth vas with the North American
test for liberty he admired the grea. Washington; the
drama of the French revolution that convused the world
he saw pass Before him, with its martial feats and s
giants and the German empire of thousand years
tumoed into ruin beneath the strokes Of the mighty
Corsican while the philosopher wandered over the
table lands Of the Andes. His full ma ne was
Frederick Henry Alexander Baron Won Hu nboldt, and
he was born at Berlin September A. 1859. lie died,
therefore, In his nne,ieh year. Perhaps there s not
in the annals Of mankind the rAme Of another
man who has lived TO the age and
produced such amount of intellectual work. and
that too, Of the highest order. He blessed with
sound body well sound mind and the ,orrd zone
appeared to have little injurious effect upon him
frozen regions Of the north He had gigantic intellect
from which nothing in science appeared to be
bid. He could grasp all subjects, and he appeared 10
know rything. "Whst manI' exclaimed the great
poet Goethe the Shakspere Of Germany after receiving
visit from the philosopher ~ know Of to COM
pare him TO- he resembles spring Of gushing sweet
waters; he knows everything, and knows thoroughly
what he does know"
But 1t was in natural history that he most ds.ns
himself, and his "Cosmss" ID his imperishsble
ment, which will endure - long the earth which il
describes. Cosmos is Greek word, and means "the
world' yet perhaps, his grand work America, over
which he travelled for five years, that which will keep
his memory forever green in the minds Of the inhabi
tants Of the New World
He had an elder brother, william, and the two boys
showed an early tendency to dverge into different paths
each following the bent nature succeeded in hs avore
pursuit-Aexander devoting his energies physical
studies and william to bellies lettres and the nne arts
Alexander studied at Gottngeo at Frankforon heoder
and at Hamburg but his whole life has been course Of
study. When young Of twenty, after he had com.
peed his university studies, find him in the company
Of George Foster descending the Rhine way to Hol
land and England; he writes his work on the basats
near the Rhine. Immediately after this he pro.
ceeds to Freiberg, for studying under Werner the
founder Of geological SCIENCE and he writes on fossil
plants. In 1871 we ind him a student Of mining and
botany in the mining school of Freburg In 1892 he was
appointed assessor In the mining and smelling department
and soon after removed to Bairenh as overseer of the
mines OF Francona In 1896 he voluntarily reinquished
his office for the purpose Of travelling
Having cultivated his faculty Of physical inquiry by the
study Of chemistry, botany geology and gavanis then
new science, his first 70 condense arrange
his scientific ideas and test them by known before
applying them in countries yet UNEMPLOYED. HIS next
object to discover country whose botanical wealth
was but little known Meantime Juurueyeu with
nauler Italy to study the volcanic
theory Of rocks, and started for Naples, for q
similar purpose, with Bach. He was compelled to
abandon his plan by the of the war then raging
He turned his steps to Paris where he well received
by the savants ord shSro lac Ills future friend Bon
piand, just appointed naturalist Baudn's expeati,u
Humboldt arranged to accompany him, bat the war again
basd his purpose. Next he resolved to in North
Arica and with Bonpand hal reached Msrss for en-
barkation when the again thwarted his Intention
Notwithstanding these disappo;ntments still ardent Z,
fulfil the mission with which his apad h,
turned with his friend to Spain where his merits were
made known by the Saxon Minister. His project was en-
couraged and assistance promised.
In the year 1899 received at Madrid the royal per-
mission to visit and explore Spanish possessions 10
America; and, accompanied by Bonpand, parked on
board the Spanish corvette Pzarro bound Havana and
Mexico. They sailed from Corunna the June an l.
by favor of violent Storm escaped the English squadron
which then blockadng that port Passing strange IL
is, observes the translator that SPAIN which is always
deced by nations less generous should have been the
only maritime Power that would appreciate and c,unte
the great geographical Columbus US well
the scientific explorer Of nature and natures WORKS.
Won Humboldt
Landing Tenere the royal letters procured for them
the friendship Of the military commander Armiago, aud
free permission to make excursions the of the
island, survey M curiostes and tropical productions ana
revel in the enchanting scenery and prospects spread
abroad from the summit Of the Peak.
On the 4th Of July, of the Cape dc verd Islands, the
night exhibited to delighted travellers the brilliant
constellation Of the Southern Cross which quite ecpses
the stellar clusters Of northern Arrived a.
CumaDa, Humboldt was kindly received by Governor
explored that REGION and visited the hourshng city OF
Caracas since utterly destroyed by terrific earthquake
Embracing the river OfiDoco he assembled TO it's iuuc
ton with tho Amazon, and Hospitality received at the
various missionary establishments Of those remote re-
gions. Our travellers arrived at Augostura 10
the month Of June, 1900, having surveyed the
rivers Apure, Orinoco Atabapo, and Rio Negro
Grateful for the Inequalities extended 70 them
by the Governor Of that province they sailed for CUBA
and entered the harbor OF Havana 18th December
Bere extending his researches the area, soil and
climate Of this Queen OF the ANTILLES, Humboldt visited
Cartnsgena anu subsequently QUITO contemplating the
chain Of the Andes ascended the majestic top the VOL
Of Cotopaxi, whose thunderDgs at dis.
lance Of 200 miles, and scaled the Chmborazo an eeva
ton hitherto unataiped In January, 1904 Humboldt de-
termned the height Of the the Corderss as
also Of the pyramid Of Choula; thence, visiting JAapa
he assembled and measured the peak Of Oriz.ba; ana
having passed some months n exploring the won
ders OF these regions our traveller returned Vera Cruz
and sailed for Havana Spanish frgate. Thence he
passed TO the United States, arrived IN Philadelphia
visited Washington; and, having studied the political
structure Of Northern ration returned to
Europe, aud landed al Bordeaux 10 August, 1904
BE TOOK up his residence in best adapted to hs
purpose.
During his travels in South America he recorded and
drew the eyiva, the fauna. the geology, ruueralogy
natural history and phenomena OF that wonderful
Among the rich cole 0ns Of the naturalists Were
$40 kinds Of plants hitherto unknown botausts Che
reeus Of this scientific tour given the world 10
plhishad 49,