Reminiscences of Werner and Freiberg. 349 
from the vicinity of such heaps, but the soil admits of no smil- 
ing vegetation, and even the grass is stunted; the wind 
whistles cheerlessly over the bare lifeless heiglits, which are 
extended into long flat surfaces, and which, together with a 
few isolated, dreary-looking huts near the shafts, constitute 
the whole landscape. 
But however much I endeavoured to limit myself volun- 
tarily to empirical clearness in following up a narrower ob- 
ject ; however little of an attractive nature was presented to 
-me by the barren scenes I have described, yet all this was but 
the external portion of my being, and a richer life actuated 
me and was enjoyed by me in all its phases in the midst of 
apparent poverty. Although actually at Freiberg, I lived 
chiefly at Jena; for, a constant correspondence, especially 
with Schelling, informed me of every thing that took place 
there. The Wernerian geognosy continued to acquire more 
and more importance in my eyes; these were moments which 
excited me to speculation, and a view was darkly shadowed 
forth which was peculiar to myself, and which made a deeper 
and deeper impression on my mind. I could not conceal that 
which filled my soul, and I communicated my views confi- 
dentially to Werner. It was natural that one like him, so 
completely shut up within his own views, should not be en- 
tirely pleased with me. He openly expressed his dissatisfac- 
tion, and seemed to hint that in the fuller delineation of his 
doctrine of formations, there was something hidden which oc- 
cupied hisfattention, but which was not yet developed. My 
relations with him nevertheless became more intimate. The 
deep respect which penetrated me, the regard for his peculiar 
firmness and decision, the confidence which I shewed him in 
every case, even the hope that his doctrine might receive from 
me a deep intellectual signification, and should enter as an 
important element into the great fermentation of mind which 
should call forth a new element in history, drew him onwards, 
and caused a union between master and scholar which had 
not previously existed. And yet every modification, every 
gradation of expression was disagreeable to him ; and it was 
of no avail if I attempted to make it clear to him, that within 
the. bounds of his scientific circle, his modes of expression 
VOL. XXXII, NO. LXIv.—aprnrit 1842. 2a 
