The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-09-15


the most important years in the life Of
Humboldt-years spent in the s1ste.
matte arrangement Of the results of hi.
travel and observation, in celebrating
the facts be had mastered in the science,
OF zoology, botany, astronomy and ply
sical geography and in preparing them
Tor the practical use, not only of hi:
own age, but of all posterity.
His literary labors nearly completed
his next undertaking was a scientific
Journey to Siberia under the patronage
of the Russian Government, journey
OF ten thousand miles made in less than
one year. Some idea of the character
and success of this enterprise may be
formed from the remark of the transla.
tor of Cosmos, that ''if his work on Cen.
trail Asia had been his only production,
constituting as it does an epitome of all
the knowledge acquired by himself aud
former travellers on the physical geo.
graphy of that region that work alone
would have sufficed to form a reputa-
tion of the first order"
Upon bis return from Siberia, Hum
beldtcoD tinued his literaryaud scientific
persuits, with vigor and zeal unabated
bHbis advancing age. The only inter
r8otion seems TO have been his employ.
ment by the Prussian Government in
several diplomatic missions of delicacy
and responsibility, fact which shows
the versatility of the genius that could
be so readily turned from scientific to
political uses, and the high degree to
which he commanded the confidence OF
the Government under which he lived.
l have thus briefly glanced at his life
and labors down to within less than a
score of years prior to his death. These
were chiefly spent in Berlin, in the
midst ofhis books, and in the pursuit OF
those emplOyments to which he had de-
voted his life. His fame which for halt
century had commanded the admira-
tion of the world, was now at its zenith.
The scholars, the philosophers and the
statesman of the period were dairy at.
tracted to his society; the best intel
lects of the time sought improvement by
communion with his. Striving TO fol-
low where he had so triumphantly led,
the devotees of science gathered about
him as young and unrried soldiers
might gather aronnd the laurel crowned
veteran for words of counsel and en-
couragement. Even royalty found
pleasure and profit in his society. The
King of Prussia, we read, was his daily
companion. The crowned ruler of Il
great nation knelt at the shrine of phi
osophy, and the majesty of Force did
homage to the majesty Genius.
Every consolation that declining age
can derive from the recollection of life
spent in the service of mankind was
present to make happy the last days of
Humboldt. The past to him was full of
tolls, but every toll had its companion
triumph. In every department of sci
ence his influence had been powerfully
exerted. His living works were the
proofs of his success. Geology had re-
ceived fresh impulse and practical de-
duction at his hands. The science of
animal life had acquired new import
ance from his researches. Botany had
become, under his care, one of the most
useful and attractive of studies, because
by his broad generalizations and by his
association of many important ques-
tions with it, he had reached many mo-
mentous and novel conclusions concern
ing human character and destiny. "Ge-
ography, meteorology, magnetism, the
distribution of heat, the various depart
ments of natural history, tegether with
the affinities of races and languages,
the history of nations, the political con-
stitution of countries, statistics, com
merce and agriculture-all had received
accumulated and valuable additions
from the exercise of his rare talents"
These were the fruits of that earnest
ness" which "makes life eternity" these
the results of that swerveless pcrsevcr-
ance, which
Wins each GOd.l,ke act and plucks success,
Gen from the spearprOOt crest Of rugged dan.
ger.
These were the substantial evidences of
a moral, mental and physical discipline
more perfect in its application and more
glorious in its achievements than that
which immortalized the prowess OF I'm
perial Rome and carried her eagles in
triumph around the globe"
TO some men it is glory sufficient to
win reputation in a single one of the
many walks of scientific life; here were
trophies won upon every field in the
broad domain of thought The great
ness that builds upon the mastery of a
single department, shrinks to nothing
ness, when compared with the greatness
of that character which sounded every
depth of knowledge, and played famil-
lar with all of Natures mysteries, "iu
the heavens above, the earth beneath
and the waters under the earth" "Cos.
mos has been aptly styled 1.-THE great
work OF the age" The same position
given it among books may he assigned
Its author among men, for as it en-
GraCed a summary ct all physical
knowledge, 50 he represented that many
sided intellect which loses the great
ness of specially in the bOSudless
realm of universal wisdom.
As We view the resplendent glOrles
which adorned the evening sky OF this
wonderful life, the thought recurs uu-
blddrn hat even to such "the night
comeIh." But no splendor of achIev-
ment, no excellence of character. no
nobility of genius can alter or avert the
final doom of all mortality.
The boast of heradry, the pomp OF power,
AL thA' beauty, all that wealth ecr gave
Await alike the inevitable hour,
The paths OF glory lead but 10 the grave
And so across the pathway of this
mighty vanguard leader in the march of
mind,' this "Intellectusl pioneer who
had reclaimed from the idle wilderness
SO much new territory for the thought
ana activity of those who should come
after him." the shadows gathered and
darkened at last, the final summons
came, and Humboldt slept in peace.
His death which occurred May &,
1859, was received with manifestations
of profound sorrow, not Ouly in his own
country bnt throughout the civilized
world. ain the long procession that
followed his funeral car 10 the tomb,
were the Ministers of State, Generals of
the Army, professors in the University,
officers of the Court, the diplomatic
corps, scademiciaDs, students and cltl-
zeus. and the coffin was received at the
church by the prince regent and princes
of Prussia" The people of other cOun-
tries deeply sympathized with Germany