The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-05-20
DEATH OLE HITM nl,

The recent notices of the gradual decline of this
ilustrious European philosopher have prepared the
public for the intelligence of his decease which is
announced as having taken place in Berlin on the
| 9th of Nav.
Frederick Heinrich Alexander Won Humboldt
was born in Berlin, September A. 1869. He studied
| at Franktort-on-the-Oder, at Berlin and at Got
tingen, devotng himself chiefly to the natural sci
ences to the Greek language, and to the applica-
! ton OF science to the practical arts Among his
! early instructors in the former were Blumenbach
Beckmann, and Lichtenberg. His university studies
| were varied by excursions to the Harz Mountains
and to the vicinity of the Rhine, which occasioned
the hrstruits of his literary labors, in work en-
| titled, "The Basat on the Rhine (l790).
In the spring and summer of that year accomna-
| MED by one or two congenial friends he made a
| tour through Belgium Holland, England and
! France. The acquaintance of Sir Joseph Banks
and the enthusiasm of one of his companions, who
! had made voyage to the South Sea, awakened the
! desire for visiting tropical regions, and gave
| coloring to his future life. On his return from
Eng land, he passed some time at commercial
academy in Hamburg, with view of engaging in
the pursuits of trade But his nclinatons strongly
tended to the cultivation of physical science, and
in 1871 he repaired to the School of Mines at Frei-
berg, where he received private lessons from the
celebrated Werner, and enoIed the friendship of
Leopold Won Buch Freiesleben, and Del Rio His
researches in this locality led to the preparation of
treatise on the fossil botany of Freiberr which
was published year or two later (l793.) A
larger work on the physiology of the nerves and
muscles (l19I-99) attests the predominant tenden-
cv of his mind
The death of his mother in 1876 removed one of
the obstacles to his cherished purpose of grand
scientific expedition to the tropics. After pursuing
an extensive course of study in the application of
astronomy to geography, and engaging in meteoro-
logical observations with Won Buch he went to
I, Parls where ne first made the acquaintance of
| 1898 in Madrid. This was in fact, the turning
| point of his life. Such favorable impression did
he make on the Spanish authorities, that he re-
eelved permission to visit at pleasure any of the
! Spanish possessions in America or the Indian
Ocean, with guaranty of the free of his astro-
nomical instruments and of restraint in the col
lection OF specimens in natural science.
In June 1893, he embarked, in company with
Bonpand, Cor South America, and arrived at Gu
mana in the middle of July. The next eighteen
months were spent in exploring tour through
Venezuela; and in February, they left the sea coast
| Tor the south, with a view of reaching the river
Apure and Ornoco. They passed over the cataracts
| of Atures and Maypures in Indian canoes to Fort
| San Carlos on Rio Negro about two degrees from
the equator, and alter weary journey through
| the wilderness, returned to the Orinoco of which
| they made the first exact scientific observation
From Cumana, at which they arrived in safety af-
! ter their perilous excursion, they sailed to Havana
where they remained several months
They went to Bogota, the vicinity of which thew
carefully explored, and in September, 1901, contn-
ued their journey to the South arriving in Quito
January, 6. 1902. Here they remained until the
| following June, pursuing their researches in the
! volcanic region, and ascending to heights which
! had never before been trodden by the foot of man.
On June %, 1902 they reached height of go feet
| on the ChimboraZo, which was more than 3 900
| feet higher than the point attained by La Conda-
| mine IN I73S. Here they planted their instruments
! upon narrow ledge of rock which protected from
the vast field of unfathomed snow. A broad impas-
sable chasm prevented their further advance; thev
were enveloped in thick fogs, and in an atmosphere
of the most piercing cold; they breahed with diff
| Guilty, and blood burst from their eyes and lips
Only has this elevation on the Chimborazo
| -,
tanned a summit of $4,000 feet, by different path
| from that chosen by Humboldt.
Crossing the passes of the Andes, the travellers
pursued their way to the upper valley of the ANA
zon, and made thorough exploration of that nor
tion of Peru. In December, they sailed from Cal
lao to Guayaquil, and after second tedious voy-
| age, arrived at Acapulco, March 49, 1903. Thence
| they proceeded to Mexico, where they remained
for several months pursuing their researches in the
! volcanic regions, and making rich and valuable col
lectons in natural history. In March,, 1904 after
| exploring numerous localities the Mexican
| coast, humboldt sailed to Havana, where he re-
| maned for two months, gathering and arranging
the materials for his "Political Essay on Cuba y
| paris, lS26.) He next directed his attention to
visited Philadelphia and Washington, where he was
treated with distinguished attention by President
Jefferson and after brief sojourn sailed for Bor-
deaux in July, 1904.
He took up his temporary abode in Paris
where, in connection with Gay-Lussac, he devoted
himself to chemical researches, chiefly on the COM
position of the atmosphere, until the following
March. After journey to Italy, he returned to
Berlin in December, 1905. In 1907 he accompanied
Prince William of Prussia on political mission to
| France, and with view to the publication of his
works, made Paris his residence until 1927. The
first portion of his great work, tVovaoe to the
| Equinoctal Regions of the New Continent" was
published in Paris in 1902 In the Winter of 1927
he delivered course of lectures in Berlin on the
| Cosmos" which were the foundation of his cole
| brated work of that name.
| In 1929, Humboldt was commissioned hv tba En-,
peror Nicholas to make an expedition to the Altai
and Ural Mountains, with view to examining the
mineral treasures of those regions. The tour ex-
tended through Moscow, kasan, Tobosk and Bar
maui to the Chinese frontier. He was accompanied
by his two friends, Ehrenberg and Gustav Rose
The journey, which occupied nine months is de-
scrbed in Central Asia' paris, 1S43). This Jour
ney furnished the most valuable contributions to
the science of physical geography New light
| was thrown on the volcanic agencies in Central
| Asia; many important facts were set forth on the
soil, climate, and connection of the mountain chans
and owing to the interest which it awakened a req
ular system OF observations established by the
| Imperial Academy of st. Petersburg, throughout
the Russian Empire, for the purpose of noting the
changes in meteorological phenomena.
The political movements of 1880 gave the activity
| of humboldt political direction to certain eX-
tent, but without diverting his attention from the
pursuits of science. In May, he attended the
Crown Prince of Prussia to the last Diet of War
saw, and soon after with the King at TeplitZ:
| and on the accession of Louis Philippe was COM
| missioned by Frederic William ILL., to acknowledge
the new dynasty of Paris, and to forward political
intelligence from that capital to Berlin He re-
ceved many similar commissions within the
course of the next twelve years. which required
him to spend considerable portion of his time in
| Paris.
Since lS42, Humboldt has resided at Berlin, en-
gagged in the preparation of Cosmos" which sums
up the observations of long life on what may be
termed the "Harmonies Of the Universe" receiv-
ing visits from strangers of every nation, who
were attracted by his scientific fame, CARRYING on
an extensive correspondence with men of learn
ing in various departments of research and
cherishing the curiosity of youth with regard to
every new discovery and phenomena in the realms
OF nature.
| A PASSAGE IN THE LIFE OF De ToCoUEvILLE-
During the memorable debate on the Kings speech,
which preceded the French Revolution of Februa-
ry, l848, Deputy of middle age, slight yet well
proporuoned figure, pale complexion, regular but
rigid features, thoughtful brow, and thin com
pressed lips assembled the tribune from the midst of
the Central Lett, and the before him hushed
pfSalfa