New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-09-15
THE HUMBOLDT CENTENNIAL.
Continued from First Page.

him In H.
bndt va engaged so exclusively in physical eAIei
nnents as prevent him FROM joining t for
BOnpland wac unremitting IN the STUDY Vi P'""'' ~
Yer months Thus spent in the neighborhood OF the
coast Humboldt crossed the LIsbos e ks "a Ihore
which divide the basin Of the is by original
research lie has turned those Hc5, an5 ieft Ms
descTpions az fascinating from their beauty as they are
valuable for their novelty be paey Of the Orinoco
Traced the singular network OF rivers by when ms IT,. PIC
stream connects through the Cassiquare ana we ia
49,, Nth tbe AmazOns-a freshwaer route Wnlen
M doubt vet 90 become one OF the bieh"ays to
sTnmsnt he would probably have gone down tno g
Negro 10 the AInarons, and would took
H. Us boweyer turned back from the mighty rtnSt ~
Sh which made It dangerous 10 proceed turthef
~ i,rrIsonnent and the possible renunclation Oh
ali his cherished plans Mhsh ia ytive again on the
INC, cond nor but contrast the cordial liberalty which
sCothed every n dG%y Which Bdsot his appTOached
boweyer go near the scene or his laDOrs that Wss oo
an dS Se extent Of his knowledge and the comprenen
syeness OF his views even where the progress OF
nSee Of his visit to Cuba and his journey through Mex
ico Interesting as they were remarklng Only tns' 20 i
We owe the first maps OF those regions 90 I'M
perfect those published before him that even to"a
the close Of the last century the position OF meAcU
fered Inv abonf eco miles IN the maps published by diner
ent geOgraphers HumbOldts is the nst geoa nap Va
Mexco and Cuba based upon astronomical
The next great stage OF the American journey is along
the ridge Of the Andes There is picturesque charm
about this part of the undertaking which IS lrressuoe
AT that time travelling in those mountains was 2
more difficult than 1t Is now. We follow nun Will nis
The most precious scientific apparatus through the passes
the 9ieys ms he wentracng the distribution Of veg
taon ON slopes 10000 feet hghexamining extinct ana
piants-he brought away incredible amount Of infer
nation which has since filtered into all our sclenthc
records renodeled popular education, and become the
common property OF the civilized world Many OF these
aseeusons were attended with infinite danger and dith
nifty He climbed the Cmmboraza to hight OF eOOO
'eet at time when other man had ever assembled SO
oT above the level of the sea- and only prevented
from reaching the summit by an lplpassaDlo chdotu
in which lie nearly lost ms me mmu ascent
years later Gay-Lussac made ms FAMOUS asvelt
IN a balloon, for the sake OF studying atmosphere
ne rose So l% ye aSet be Pacific from T2
IllO TO Acapulco and paused in Mexico again. Ihere ne
ascended al the great mOtanslin that neghborbood
continuing and completing the same lnVesugau9nis
which he had pursued with such presidency through ms
Mines the production of precious metals their influence
upon civilization and commerce. ATTITUDES and long
tudcs averages OF climate relative nights OF mount
aims, distribution OF vegetation, astronomical ana me-
neurological phenomena From Mexico ne went 10 Ia Ia
stay in this country was short He was cordially re,
warmly welcomed 10y scientific Philadelphia But
he made important researches in the united STATES
and sailed for Europe soon after his arrival
LIFE IN PARIs-PUBLICATIoN OF HIS WORKS.
He returned to Paris in 1904, having been five years
absent from Europe 1t brilliant period in science
letters aad politics in the great capital The Republic
was still in existence; the hroes Of the Revolution were
over ana the reaction toward monarehical ideas had
hardly bagGn. La Place. Gay-Lussac, Cuvier Desfon-
tanes Dclanbre Oltmanns Fourcroy Berthollet. Blot,
Dolomeu Lamarck and Lacepede were leaders then in
the learned world The young traveller, bringing intel
grown old IN research was welcomed by ALL and in this
great center OF social and intellectual life he made his
i6o 6shtet DAYS Of the Republic through the rise and
Iall of the Empire 10 the restoration of the BOurbons
He devoted himself TO the publication OF his results and
secured as his coaOorators in this work the abest men
of the day Cuvier Latrsie, and Valencennes worked
up the Geological collections, BOnpand and Knuth
1sTn 'I nndeTe9k the reduction Of the astro
risq1Qu
Jointly with Gay-Lussac and Provencal made
Investigations upon the respiration of fishes and upon
The chemical constitution OF the atmosphere and the
composition of water winch have left their mark IN the
annals OF chemistry. While OF course supernteHdlng
mere or less all the publications, Humboldt himself was
engaged especially with those upon physical geo
graPhy, meteorology, and zoology. Inc mere emu
Ineraon Of the volumes resulting from ts great expe
milton ~ anS Soann m SS aedhg
seenoYY, antiquities. and the aboriginal races twelve
the personal narrative two are devoted to New spain,
two to cnba two TO ZOOLOGY ana comparative anatomy.
the tropics The botanical results OF the Journey occupy
not less yhan IS foho volumes ornameted with naghl-
lie Library IN Boston, would invite my hearers to real
intellectual treat and qualification OF their aesthetic
astes. in urging them to devote some leisure hour to
turning the leaves Of these magnificent volumes
walk through the lighthouses of the largest
botanical garden-and unfortunately We have no
such on this Gontinent-cOuld hardly be more
impressive than ~ examination OF these beautiful plates
Add to these special work on the position OF rocks IN
the two hemspheres one on the isothernal lines his IN
nerable smaller papers, and lastly tyeVoumes on the
history Of geography aGd the progress OF nautical asron,
O
less directly connected with Humbodts journey,
though pnDhS9ea IN later years HIS INTO
interest for We learn from him that the name Of
continent first nroaucelto the learned world by
WaltzeemueI, German professor, settled at St Dide
in LoTraue-lly lacomyius, as be called himself at
time when scholars were wont 10 translate theiI
names into the dead languages aud thought it dig
Bivd TO appear under Greek or Latin garb. This
mogragheI published the first map OF the New World
with account Of the journeys OF AneTeus Vespucc
whose he affixed TO the lands recently discovered
Humboldt shows us also that Coumbns's discovery was
nogccden but grew naturally out OF the speculations
OF the Time Themselves the echo Of farOf dream which
he follows back into the dnness OF Greoian antiquity
We recognize again here the characteristic features Of
Hunboldts mind, in his constant endeayor to trace dis
eOyeries through all the stages OF their progress.
Although he made his headquarters inPars it became
necessary for Humboldt during the preparation OF so
many extensive works. 10 undertake Journeys in various
parts OF Europe; 10 eNdhne and rcexamine Nesuvlus,
ton and tie phenomena OF its eIupuOns with what he
had seen Of the volcanoes OF South America On Of
GayLussac ana Leopold Buch. That single excur-
sl4n ~ suSn men was iuitu ia valuable
of Germany and England, or to discuss With
his brother IN Berlin, or with trusted friends in
other parts Of Europe. the work IN which he was
gagged comparing notes, assisting at new experments
suggesting further inquiries ever active ever inYenye
ever suggestive, ever fertile IN resOufee-neither dis
turbed by the great political connections which he wit
most brilliant ohers OF public service or exalted position
went 10 consult about the organization Of the University
with his brother William, then Minister OF State in Prus
Kia that he published those fascinating Views Of
Nature. IN which he has pictures of the tropics
lived on the canvas Of some great artist
The question naturally arises, WhO provided for the
expenses Of these extensive literary undertakings Z"
Humboldt himself No one knows exactly what he has
spent the publication OF his works approach 20
estimate may, however be made by computing the
cost OF printing paper, aud engraving, which cannot
have amounted less than $4,000 No doubt the sale
unidentified him IN some degree, but all know that such
publications do not pay The prce OF single copy OF
the complete work America is $2O0O-dOube that OF
the great national work published by France upon
Egypt, for the publication Of which the Govern
ment spent about $oOOOOO. OF course, very few
copies be sold Of work Of this magn
tude. But from his youth upward Humboldt
literally. only he