Biographical Memoir of the late Friedrich Hoffmann. 9 



contributions from the investigations of which we are speaking. 

 Werner had only included the Thuringian secondary strata in 

 his system, and there was still much wanting to render our 

 knowledge perfect of the secondary formations of the north of 

 Germany. Hoffmann contributed greatly to this knowledge ; 

 for he not only almost doubled the number of formations, but 

 these were now for the first time accurately determined, and it 

 was only now that their comparison with the secondary strata 

 of other districts and countries was rendered practicable. We 

 have to thank his talented ceaseless diligence for an accurate 

 acquaintance with a considerable portion of our native country, 

 and for a model of the manner in which further similar inves- 

 tigations ought to be prosecuted. Had he not contributed 

 more than this single work, his name would have been assured 

 of honourable remembrance so long as the German nation should 

 place value on the knowledge of their land, and so long as the 

 science of Geology should regard with interest an accurate de- 

 tail of the structure of a portion of the earth^s surface. 



The mass of materials collected was, however, by no means 

 exhausted in this work ; there was enough remaining of most 

 accurate notes, regarding detached important observations, to 

 furnish matter for a second volume ; but this required too much 

 patience on the part of our eagerly aspiring author. Investi- 

 gation, even of the most fatiguing description, was to him a 

 pleasure, but the task of writing, and putting his materials in 

 form, was burdensome. He longed for another field of research, 

 for a new employment to his increasing powers. 



The study of volcanos has in recent times become of the 

 greatest importance ; that is, since Vulcanism has gained the 

 victory over the Neptunism which prevailed so much at one 

 time, and more especially in Germany ; and, since the opinion 

 has been adopted that the rocks formerly termed Primitive are 

 the products of burning liquid matter, similar to the lavas of 

 volcanos, — nay, that, bursting through fissures in the crust of 

 the earth, they have caused those disturbances and elevations 

 in the secondary strata, which, without such an assumption, 

 would be inexplicable. In this department, Leopold Von Buch 

 had already obtained an imperishable name; and Hoffmann 

 wished to become acquainted at least, with volcanic phenomena. 



