344 Reminiscences of Werner and Freiberg. 
it is true, did not appear till some years after I left Freiberg, 
but they were made many years before, and his view regard- 
ing that singular phenomenon was then well known. Upon 
the whole, he was no friend to a decided theory which should 
include all geognostical observations in one point of view, but 
held that geognostical investigations had not yet reached that 
degree of maturity which authorized us to bring forward such 
atheory. He was inclined to assume the occurrence of great 
expansions of gas in the interior of the earth, and to ascribe 
to these a great influence in the formation of mountain masses ; 
while Werner endeavoured to explain every thing by mecha- 
nical and chemical precipitations, and by mighty floods. Thus 
these two individuals stood as scientific opponents to each 
other; and probably they only met when on business. Some 
ideas in my little essay coincided with Charpentier’s views, 
and met with his approbation, and I received a welcome re- 
ception at his house. His family were much distinguished 
for their talents as well as for their varied acquirements. One 
daughter was married to General Thielemann, one of the brav- 
est and best officers in the Saxon army; and a second was 
the wife of Doctor Reinhard, who had attracted great notice, 
and was universally respected as a learned theologian, a cele- 
brated orator, and as the head of the Protestant Church in 
Saxony. I did not make the acquaintance of these merito- 
rious men, but their ladies often visited their parents. A 
third daughter, Caroline, was unmarried, and was distinguished 
for her varied knowledge, her talents, and her matured judg- 
ment; she was also a skilful pianoforte player. The young- 
est daughter, Julia, beautiful, feminine, and with a melan- 
choly expression, particularly attracted my attention, for she 
was the bride of Hardenberg (Novalis). I was eagerly desi- 
rous of the acquaintance of that remarkable and original poet, 
whose aerial-phantastic nature and powerful lightning-like 
expressions had seized hold of my mind in a wonderful de- 
gree. 1 had not previously met with a family so ennobled by 
‘refinement, and in which so much was to be met with that was 
mentally exciting ; and a request to appear amongst them was 
at all times agreeable to us both, my friend Méller having 
been also a welcome guest at the hospitable mansion. 
