The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-09-25

HUMBOLDT.


intended to give biographical sketch OF the
great German sarant, but press OF Other
matter compelled us to exclude it, 1t VIII DC
no less interesting, however, to read 1t TINS
week, though given somewhat out OF its prop
or connection:
Friedrich Heinrich Alexander Won Humboldt
whose centennial anniversary was celebrated
yesterday, was born at Berlin, September IA
1862 1t is somewhat singular TACT that Napo
leon and Wellington also entered the world on
whose stage they PLAYED such distinguished parts
during the same year-but mankind could have
better spared both these great soldiers than the
scholar and philosopher, whose uniadng aurels
ore unstained by single drop of human blood
and whose ambition cost not one tlroh Of human
suffering.
His father. who had been adjutant to Duke
Ferdinand OF Brunswick, and afterwards u Prus.
sian royal counsellor, died when Humboldt was
less than ten years old, and he, and his elder
brother William were educated ut home with
great care, especially in all branches pertaining
to natural science and mathematics, LII l.S1 he
studied at the University of Frankfort on the
Oder, but returned to Berlin in tho folio wing
year and applied himself to the study of manu-
facture. and Greek In l7S9-90 he was at Got
tingen, and added largely to bis knowledge of
natural history through tire instructions of Blum
enbach, Beckerman and others Humbolds's first
literary attempt ESSAY upon the art OF
weaving among the Greeks, but IL was never
printed. His first published work was Ne5er
die Basalte an RleiR, nebst U'nt9'suchungen Sye-
nit md Basa,i der .iiten, which appeared in
1900 The same year he made rapid tour
throughesome portions of the continent, and also
to England, and returned home with the inten.
ton of becoming q tinancier; for which pur-
pose he attended mercantile academy at Ham.
burg, learned book excepting and other details of
business. But he was destined for a higher and
nobler career of usefulness and, having obtain
ed his mothers consent to change of profession,
he began the study OF mining At the Academy
of Freiberg, where he remained eight months
At this time he wrote description OF subterran.
can flora an account of experiments on the color
of plants withdrawn from light and surrounded
by noxious gases. In 1902, he was appointed as
SCISSOR in the mining districts and in that capac.
ity went to Bsireuth where he was. made a su.
perior mining officer in one of the subdstricts,
and took up his residence in little mountain
village. He held his Office five years, making in
the meantime numerous excursions, and ateadily
prosecuting his scientific researches. In 1896
he was sent on diplomatic mission to Gen.
Moreau, in Swabia, who urged him to go to
Egypt with the French army, which, however,
he declined. When his mother died he resolved
upon an extensive expedition, which he began in
1897, by going to Saltzburp and spending the
winter in meteorological Oh ervations plan
to visit Egypt, Syria and P.lestine with Lord
Bristol, was broken up by political troubles also
an expedition to South America and another to
Northern Africa shared the same fate from sim.
liar cause. The winter of 1898 he spent with the
botan,st Boupland, in travelling through Spain
reaching Madrid in February 1799.- Here,
through the favor of the Spanish Secretary Of
State, all the colonial dependencies in America
and the East Indies were thrown open to his re.
search he was furnished with the necessary in.
struments, and in fact every possible facility
was afforded him for thorough and oomprehen.
sive scientific travel. Leaving Madrid he EN-.
barked at Corunnu, with Boupland. june 8, 1899.
on the frigate "Pizarro," and touching at Tene.
rife, they finally landed at Cumsnra, in Vene.
zuela, on the 18th of July. Five years were
passed in South America and Mexico, and on his
return he stopped short time in the United
States, and was welcomed by President Jefferson
at Washington. He landed at Bordeaux, August
ID, 1904, having made larger collections and
more important discoveries in natural science
than all previous travellers elseting Paris as
his residence, Humboldt began the arrangement
OF his specimens and manuscripts, which occupied
him until March of the following year. He then
visited Naples and Rome, and made tour
through Switzerland, arriving at Berlin in No
vember, 1906, after an absence of nine years.
Three years later he WAS ordered to accompany
Prince William of Prussia on diplomatic mis-
sion to Napoleon at Paris IN the hope of persuade
ing the conqueror to modify in some degree the
conditions OF the treaty of Tilsit. From 1908 to
1897, with the exception of short absences, he
resided constantly il Paris and there published
several OF his most celebrated works. So pleased
hn h. Al e
tai, that the offer of ths highest position at home
could not tempt him to leave. During the period
above mentioned, he made one or two visits to
England and also travelled over several cont.
mental Kingdoms, but in 1929 he began more
active life. Under the patronage OF Gar Nioho-
Las, he undertook an expedition to Northern Asia,
Chinese Soongaria and the Caspian Sea. This
journey extended over ten thousand miles, and
occupied nine months time. The results were
published in 1913 The political COMMISSIONS Of
1s3O threw Humboldt to certain extent into
politics, although not to the utter negletct of
ecience. He went with the Crown Prince of
Prussia to Warsaw, and with the King to the
baths of Toplitz, and was sent BY the Prussian
Government to Paris to convey TO Louis Philip
pc the official recognition of his accession to the
Wrench throne. Duties of similar nature were
performed by him with more or less frequency
for twelve years, but in 1S4S he settled in Berlin
ana there passed the remainder Of his life, pur.
SUNG ~: sclentiiic labors zeaously almost to the
very end. In these closing years bis biographer
says.
The inhabitants Of Berlin and Potsdam ali
know him personally, and show him o. much
honor as they show the king. With slow but
firm step, thoughtful head, rather bent for.
ward, whose features are benevolent with diy.
nified expression of noble calmness. and IA
either looking down or politely responding to
the greetings of the passers-by with Kindness and