BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF FREDERICK WOHLER. 551 



fessor Fittig, formerly Wohler's assistant at Gottingen. During the 

 last fifty years Wohler has published in Gilbert's, Poggendorff's, and 

 Liebig's " Annalen " more than two hundred and fifty different papers 

 on chemical subjects, or an average of five every year. Although these 

 contributions have been of great importance to the progress of the 

 science, the crowning glory of Wohler must be sought in the influence 

 he has exerted as a teacher of chemistry. During the last forty-four 

 years his laboratory at Gottingen has been the workshop in which great 

 numbers of students have been taught how to conduct original re- 

 searches, and many of these pupils have become professors all over the 

 world. All of those who took their degrees must have presented an 

 original thesis ; and in nearly every instance, although the student 

 performed the physical labors of the research, the suggestion, the topic, 

 and the method came from Wohler. It is difficult to measure the im- 

 portance of such a life, or to express in fitting terms the gratitude we 

 owe the man. All who have had the privilege of nearer relations to 

 him have learned to love him as a man, revere him as a teacher, and 

 respect him for the profundity of his knowledge. 



Professor Wfthler has been twice married. His first wife died 

 many years ago, leaving a son and daughter. His only son now re- 

 sides near Gottingen, and is a wealthy landed proprietor ; the daugh- 

 ter by the first marriage is the wife of the Burgomeister of Gottingen, 

 and has children and grandchildren, so that Wohler lives to see sev- 

 eral great-grandchildren gather at his family board. By his marriage 

 to the wife who still survives there have been three daughters, all 

 living, two of whom are married, one residing in Hamburg and the 

 other in London. The venerable man is surrounded by family and 

 friends, with an ample fortune to provide for every want. He has 

 ceased to deliver lectures or to impart instruction in the laboratory, 

 but maintains the liveliest interest in all questions of the day, and in 

 his private correspondence displays the vigor and playfulness of his 

 youth. 



