Natural History in Foreign Countries, 79 



not only raise themselves to a degree of civilisation and happiness hitherto 

 unattained, but, by their example, effect the same object for England, Ger- 

 many, and all other countries. 



To return to our legitimate subject, we hope to show, in future Num- 

 bers, that the time we spent in Paris, and generally the whole of our four 

 months' tour, has not been without profit to our readers ; and, conclude by 

 stating that 72ana arborea, Vallisneria spiraUs, Wistaria Consequawa, An- 

 dromeda arborea, and other plants and animals which we brought from 

 Garlsruhe (Vol. I. p. 481.), arrived safe at Bayswater. — Cond, 



GERMANY. 



The Congress of the German Naturalists, — In all ages and countries, 

 men who have followed the same pursuits have felt themselves to be united 

 in interest and happiness, and nave sought to realise this union, and 

 strengthen it, by actual personal associations. In the earliest ages, these 

 unions or societies were few and comparatively local, and they must gene- 

 rally have been confined to nations speaking the same language. With the 

 progress of things, the circle of these associations has extended wider ; and 

 the probability is, that, in time, every society whose objects do not interfere 

 with established religions or governments, will reckon amongst its members 

 people of all nations. The fairs and games of the earliest ages indicate 

 the infancy of this state of things ; and the voluntary annual meetings of 

 the naturalists, of the military men, of the musicians, and of the students 

 of Switzerland, in the different towns of that country, and of the German 

 naturalists and medical practitioners, in the different towns of Germany, 

 indicate its present state. 



The Congress of the German naturalists owes its origin to Professor 

 Schweigger at Halle, and Professor Oken at Jena, who traced the plan, in 

 1818, that was first carried into execution at Leipsic, in 1S22. There were 

 then only eight members present j but Professor Blumenbach was among 

 them, and they resolved to meet every year, on the 18th of September, this 

 period falling in the middle of one of the two long vacations of the German 

 universities. " The sessions are held alternately, one year in a town of the 

 north, and the next in one of the south of Germany ; always fixing, by a 

 majority of voices, the place for tHi next session ; and the president and 

 secretary having there their abode, to make the necessary arrangements for 

 the meeting. Other regulations have not been wanting ; and, since that time, 

 the Congress has assembled successively at Leipsic, Halle, WUrzburg, Frank- 

 fort, Dresden, and, last year, in Munich, where its members were most nobly 

 received by the King of Bavaria, the greatest patron of the arts in our 

 times. Then they resolved to meet, in 1828, at Berlin; and the Aristotle 

 of the modern age, Baron Alexander von Humboldt, was chosen president ; 

 and M. Lichtenstein, Professor of Natural History at the same university, 

 honorary secretary." {For. Rev, and Cont. Misc, for Oct, 1828, p. 505.) 

 The Prussian government did all that the officers of the Congress suggested, 

 in order to make the stay of its learned guests at Berlin as comfortable as 

 possible. The Meeting lasted a week, and the following is a statement of 

 the countries from which the members came who were present : — The 

 whole number was 467, of which Berlin alone supplied 197, the rest of 

 Prussia, 127 ; Saxony, 31 ; Bavaria, 12 ; Hanover, 7 ;jWurtemberg, 3 ; the 

 other States of the German Confederation and Switzerland, 55; the Aus- 

 trian States, 1; Sweden, 12; Denmark, 7; Poland, 5; Russia, 2; Eng- 

 land, 2; France, 2 ; Norway, 1; and Naples, 1. 



Journal d* Education et if Instruction^ de M. le Comte de Lasteyrie. 

 Paris, 8 vo, monthly. 



