Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-09-15
HUMBOLDT.
The Centenary Celebration Yes
terday.
Unfortunate Results of Postpone
ment.

AACtNAs
One hundred years ago yesterday was
born in Berlin, Prussia, the greatest
intellect of modern times-Friederich
Heinrich Alexander Won Humboldt,
a man whose name stands pre-eminent
as a philosopher, savant, traveller and
author, above all others of his day,
although with him ended the period
that produced Cuvier, Laplace, AragO
Cav .Lussac, De CandOlle, Robert
Brown, and Liebig. His cOtempOra-
ries, friends and companions, whose
names are the " household words " OF
art, science and philosophy may be
numbered by the score.
He and his brother William were
educated at home, under the eye OF
his father, who was an adjutant OF
Duke Ferdinand, of Brunswick. His
tutors were Fisher, the mathematician,
Engel, the phHOSOph, and DOhm, the
author on political economy. AT the
age of eighteen he was sent 10 the
University of Frankfort on the Oder.
His first work was published in 1870,
in his twenty-frst year. From that
time on, until he died May G., 1859,
during a period Of nearly seventy
years, he was engaged altogether in
the study of nature and making
known the results of his researches.
To attempt anything like even the
most superficial outline sketch of his
w~anderings would take up the broad
side Ofour paper, and a catalogue of rs
writings would occupy several COZ
umns. They were on all depart
ments of nature. Commencing with
the /" BasaltS of the Rhine" he passed
into botany, and after several works
on this science, he wrote a series OF
works on physiology, the nervous
systems of animals and plants, as
tronOmy, geology, chemistry, tech
nOlOgy, mathematics, political ecOnO-
my, geography, physical and descrip-
tive, etc. To him indeed is due the
credit Of making this last a science.
Before his voyages there was no por-
ton of the world, except the more
densely inhabited parts of Europe,
which was correctly mapped, or of
which the length of the rivers, the
height of the mountains or the physi-
cal aspect was known. Even of some
of those regions of Europe spoken of,
such as LOmbardy, Switzerland, BO-
hernia, no geOgnostic descriptions
had ever been written, and it re-
manned for him to cOllate and publish
them.
The beginning of this century found
him exploring South America. TO
him the world is indebted for the first
map Of the Amazon, OrinOcO and Rio
de Ia Plata; for the first measurement
Of the Andes, for the measurement
of ChimbOrazO, JOrullO and Toluca.
A dozen years later he is performing
the same services in Thibet, the Chi
nese SOOngaria and on the Caspian
Sea. He LEFT no portion of the globe
unexplOred,-
pa der West ward durch- gekostet
Hat or nun den Ost entmOstet."
In all that he did or wrote he was
distinguished for the comprehensive
ness of his researches and the skill
and completeness with which he con-
nected his own observations with all
the stores of previous knowledge, and
with the clearness with which he eX-
pounded facts in their relations. In
all his travels he measured attitudes,
investigated the nature of soils, the
thermOmetrie and barOmetric rela-
tions, collected mineral specimens and
herbariUms, inventing thus the new
science of the geography of plants.
His most remarkable work, and
perhaps the most comprehensive one
ever, written is Cosmos, in which he
presents a reflex of the physical uni
verse, explaining il according to his
dependencies and relations, grasp
ing Nature as a whole, and showing
the unity that prevails throughout its
variety. Ii has been translated into
all civilized languages, and has been
without an equal iI giving an i'm
pulse to the study of material sci
ence.
With all these great attainments
were combined rare personal qualities
which made this wonderful nan as
much beloved as a citizen as he was
admired as a savant, and TO do honor
to his memory was a centennial Gel
ebration instituted throughout the
world yesterday. In his domestic
life he was peculiar, sleeping only five
hours out of the twenty-fOur, devoting
nearly the whole ofthe balance to la
Dor and study. He died after an i'll
ness of two weeks, at Berlin, May G,
1859, and in the long procession which
followed his funeral car to the tomb
were Ministers of State, Generals of
the army, Professors Ofthe University,
Officers Of the Court, the Diplomatic
Corps, Academicians, Students and
citizens; and the coffin was received
by the Prince Regent and Princess Of
Prussia.
THE CELEBRATION YESTERDAY,
we are sorry to say, was, so far as the
procession and display in the streets is
concerned, 10 a certain extent, a fail
ure, the reason being the terrible
weather which prevailed during
night before last. Yesterday
morning several hundred per-
sons, intending to take part
in the ceremonies, assembled at Mar
ket Square at an early hour, but the
skies not having gotten quite clear,
and the ground being very damp and
cold, after a consultation the marshals
decided to postpone the picnic and
celebration until Monday next.
The announcement was received
with regret by the assembled
crowd, but after hearing it
the most of them dispersed. Toward
II o'clock, however, the sun came out
warm and dried off the ground, and
the marsha1s Thought better of the
postpOnement. Messengers were sent
10 announce the fact ~ the Vereiae
and societies intending to take part,
and the band was sent through the
principal streets; but after waiting
till nearly or quite - O'Clock, not
more than a tenth part of the men,
bers could be gotten together-these
being mostly Turner'S. a procession
formed and marched to the
grounds, (the Dunn place., whereSthe
ceremonies were held. Toward night
large numbers of ladies and visitors
went out, and a pleasant evening was
spent by all hands.
The welcome speech by Mr.. Walser,
and the Grafton by Mr.. Gronauer,
were in German, and the Grafton by
Judge Lee, of which but a synopsis Of
what he had prepared was delivered,
was in English.
The Turner's displayed their agility
at intervals during the afternoon, and
surprised their friends at their pro-
ficiency in gymnastics. The Byqtfer-
hind a hand Of vOunp Gprman vocal