BARON VON HUMBOLDT. 29 



history of our country tells us) the fairest blossoms 

 of humanity, science, and art. 



" The assembly of German naturalists and natural 

 philosophers, since its last meeting, when it was so 

 hospitably received at Munich, has, through the 

 flattering interest of neighbouring states and aca- 

 demies, shone with peculiar lustre. Nations have 

 renewed the ancient alliance between Germany and 

 the Scandinavian North. 



" Such an interest deserves acknowledgement the 

 more, because it unexpectedly increases the mass of 

 facts and opinions which are here brought into one 

 common and useful union. It also recals lofty re- 

 collections into the mind of the naturalist. Scarcely 

 half a century has elapsed since Linne appears in 

 the boldness of the undertakings which he has at- 

 tempted and accomplished, as one of the greatest 

 men of the last century. His glory, however bright, 

 has not rendered Europe blind to the merits of 

 Scheele and Bergman. The catalogue of these 

 great names is not completed ; but lest I shall of- 

 fend noble modesty, I dare not speak of the light 

 which is still flowing in richest profusion from the 

 North, nor mention the discoveries in the chemical 

 nature of substances, in the numerical relation of 

 their elements, or the eddying streams of electro- 

 magnetic powers. * May those excellent persons, 

 who, deterred neither by perils of sea or land, have 

 hastened to our meeting from Sweden, Norway, 



* The philosophers here referred to are Berzelius and Oersted. 



