TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE 



I CAN not more appropriately introduce the Cosmos tlinri 

 by presenting a brief sketch of the life of its illustrious au- 

 thcr.* While the name of Alexander von Humboldt is fa- 

 miliar to every one, few, perhaps, are aware of the peculiar 

 circumstances of his scientific career and of the extent of his 

 labors in almost every department of physical knowledge. He 

 was born on the 14th'' of September, 1769, and is, therefore, 

 now in his 80 th year. After going through the ordinary 

 course of education at Gottingen, and having made a rapid 

 tour through Holland, England; and France, he became a pu- 

 pil of Werner at the mining school of Freyburg, and in his 

 21st year published an "Essay on the Basalts of the Hhine." 

 Though he soon became officially connected with the mining 

 corps, he was enabled to continue his excursions in foreign 

 countries, for, during the six or seven years succeeding the 

 publication of his first essay, he seems to have visited Austria, 

 Switzerland, Italy, and France. His attention to mining did 

 not, however, prevent him from devotmg his attention to oth- 

 er scientific pursuits, among which botany and the then re- 

 cent discovery of galvanism may be especially noticed. Bot- 

 any, indeed, we know from his own authority, occupied him 

 almost exclusively for some years ; but even at this time he 

 was practicing the use of those astronomical and physical in- 

 struments which he afterward turned to so singularly excel- 

 lent an account. 



The political disturbances of the civilized world at the close 



* For the following remarks I am mainly indebted to :he articles on 

 Uje Cosmos in the two lead'mg Quarterly Reviews. 



