The New York herald., 1869-09-16

M6XlcO Wnere ne anu MS companions remained lOI
several months. An excursion to the piV'.l.e =.
Mohoacan made the volcano Jorullo was ex-
plored and It's hight ascertained. Whence they again
ing expeditions were undertaken in different
parts OF Mexico In the beginning OF the
year 1904. several other VOLCANOES were ex-
amined ana measured ana the return was then
resolved on by way OF Jalapa and vera Cruz fla-
wanna, whittier Humboldt and his friend Bonpand
were taken In royal Spanish frigae. or great I'M
portance was the comparison OF the baromeIrical
measurement OF the eastern slope OF the Mexican
highlands towards the Gulf, from height OF about
1000 feet. with that also made by Humb0ld Of the
western slope. towards Acapulco aud the Pacific
Ocean. This as the first attempt Of making "pro-
file" OF country.
Humboldt remained in Cuba about two months,
busy ut work ordering his material for the great
works about to be published. Yet he closed not his
his political Essay on the Island Of Cuba" he gave
uerance To some severe criticism on Spanish rule In
the Antilles, as will be seen by tue following plthy
remarf:-"That slavery still exists In Cuba is q
cause OF complaint against the Spaniards and con-
slant threat to absorb them when the day OF revenge
shall have Gomez
From Cuba Humboldt came to Philadelphia, and
paid visit to Washington, where President Thomas
Jefferson most cordially received him and his COM
panlOns. AT last. settpg sail from Philadelphia on
the 9th OF july ne arrived safely ut BOurdeauX in
France. on the Sd OF August, 1904. Humboldt now
facilities than any where in the world to prepare
his works Tor publication. He remained here for
twenty years. making occasional visits to other
countries, especially 10 Switzerland and Italy. In
sion OF Prince william OF Prussia to the Emperor
Napoleon In Paris. But when the Prince returned
Humboldt remained In France, and continued
to supervise the publication OF his WORKS. in
which he preserved for the use OF the world
the results OF his travels, and which had such un-
bounded influence in reforming the whole system Of
natural sciences. These WORKS were contained in
twenty-nin volumes, with ,425 colOred cOpperpate
Impressions. These were all written In the French
language. except some botanical portions. which
were published In Latin. The general title OF the
divided into sS
l. Relation Hstorique; 2. Observations de zooio-
gle; 8: Essai Polltique Sur lie Roy de la Nou-
Physique Generate ct Geologic, Geographic des
Pantes, and tho sixth Is the botanical division in
detail
HUMBOLDT IN GERMANY.
In 1927 Humboldt returned to Berlin and took up
his permanent residence In his native city. Already
in $780, the King OF Prussia offered him the place as
Minister Of Public Instruction. but he declined hav
ing In his MIND an exploration expedition to Central
Asia. But the continual war on tho Continent was
postponed After the fall OF Napoleon he accompa-
died the King Of Prussia on short journeys to
England, and, at the Kings special request, Hum.
Congress or AK la Chapee and also at Verona. 1t
is well known rhat the liberal views OF Humboldt
were not OF all IN unison with the reactlonary spirit
exhibited BY the resolves and measures adopted at
these Congresses.
But in 1927, when again domicied in Berlin. he
public lecturer scientific matters course of pro-
ceeding heretofore entirely unknown. 1t had been
the standing rule for centuries for all learned
naturalists, philosophers and, in fact all scientific
professional WRITER'S what was once said by Bonn.
bastus 1heophrastus Paracelsus alb Hohenhem.
Is his work. But Humboldt broke into this anti
qua:ed style. His opinion was that like air and
water and the blessings OF nature at large, 80 the
knowledge OF the laws by which nature Is governed
were not for the few. but destined for all. 1t
was he who made the science Of nature a
os Of which the
regular course for all people. Hitherto the know.
ledge of the secret workings Of natures laws was
class Of professors and doctors opened the gates
wide and gave all the people clear view of what
he himself had seen so distinctly. This innovation
has brought about great results as every one will
admit who compares the present state OF the peoples
OF nature with that Of hardly more than
science which made Humboldt the greatest man Of
his century the idol Of the people OF all nations
whose equal centuries perhaps may not again be-
hold.
HUMBOLDT IN ASIA.
In 1920, at the request OF the Emperor Nicholas OF
Russia HUMBOLDT organized an exploring e1pe
months, during which he examined the gold and
platlna mines OF the Ural Mountains and the plains
importance were numboldts calculations OF the
mean elevation OF Europe compared with the mean
elevation OF Asa Also nus calculations OF the tOpo
trail Asia And although he did not penetrate there
himself, and could only surmise from surrounding
circumstances. yet so correct were his calculations
that when nearly thirty years afterwards, At Hum
bOldrs nstigation the brothers Schlaeintweit ira
yersed the whole o region OF Central % or High ASIA
ton merely, almost fully confirmed
AS A DIPLOMAT.
Humboldt returned TO Berlin In December, 1929.
He attended the Crown Prince, afterwards King
Frederick william w., on his visit TO Emperor
Nicholas at Warsaw While there, IN July. 1880.
France, and Humboldt was at once sent to Paris to
congratulate Louis Philippe. the "citizen king" ON
his ascension to the throne On several other Occa-
sions he was again despatched to Paris on diplo-
matte mission to Paris and London the last being in
ls4l where he attended the King OF Prussia on his
visit to be present at the baptism OF the Prince OF
Wales, and where Humboldt was received with the
greatest honors.
began to prepare himself for the publication Of the
crOwnng work OF his life, the "Cosmosr pro-
Jected physical description Of the world. The first
volume appeared In 1S45. the fourth In 1885, the
fifth and last in 1862 three years after his DEATH In
1884 he wrote to his most intimate friend, varnna-
gen Ense:-.i begin the printing OF my work, the
work OF my lie. have the crazy idea TO describe
the whole material world, all what we know OF the
heavens ana the earth from the nebut4 to the Reog
raphy Of the MOSES and the granite; to describe
everything in one work. and In a work which shall
attract with its living tongue and give Joy TO the
heart. Every grand idea that may spark out any.
where must there find place along with the facts"
And he faithfully fulfilled his promise and carried
out the plan OF the work thus announced eleven
years before the appearance OF the first volume.
BIS DEATH AND CHARACTER.
Alexander Won Humboldt died on the 9th day Of
May, 1859, in the nineteih year OF his life. Never
ease which proved fatal was but OF short duration.
In 1857 he suffered from an apoDectlc attack, but he
recovered. yet he seemed to feel that hts strength
was waning. Bayard Taylor visited him In the fall
OF that year and he said to him, III have longer
my former control over my egs the will does not
seem govern the muscles any more; bridge has
broken somewhere and it Is too late to repair It,
Though / do not experience any real want Of
strength I feel uncertain and am dlstrustful." An
attack Of Group In October, 1883 was more serious
and seemed TO have broken his health completely
Yet he again recovered sufficiently TO be about until
he again took cold and on the 2lst OF April 1885,
another cold laid him on his sick bed where he lin
gered till his end
lis character was very well described By brusque
military man, the General Won Rihle who listened
TO one OF Humboldts popular lectures IN 1881, and
remarked at the close, when that man Is once
dead then only the people will begin to know what
they had in him." Through him science was led
forward from the dark lamp-lit closet and out INTO
the sunshine or heaven, and was made the delight OF
ALL the source OF benefit and Improvement to all, the
very fundament OF modern civilization. Belief has
been suppanted by knowledge az the basis OF life
and 10 the extent that this was done 1t was the
work OF Alexander Won Humboldt.
He died comparatively poor. The entire inherit
ance left MIN By his parents he appropriated to the