224 Prof. K. F. H. Marx's Memoir of the Life and 



same session (February 1776) named extraordinary, and in 

 November 1778, ordinary professor." 



The progress of Blumenbach in his scientific and civil 

 career, after this auspicious commencement, is'so fully in the 

 recollection of all, that I need not enter into the details of 

 his being admitted a member of this Society in 1784, his being 

 appointed Councillor of State in 1788, Perpetual Secretary of 

 the Physical and Mathematical Class of this Society in 1812, 

 Member of the Library Commission in 1815, Knight of the 

 Guelphic Order in 1816, Superior Medical Councillor in the 

 same year, and a Commander of the Guelphic Order in 1821. 

 It appears to me much more suitable to sketch here the differ- 

 ent directions in science which he followed or communicated, 

 his career as a teacher, his external relations, and, likewise, 

 the chief features of his personal appearance and character. 



It may first of all be said with justice of Blumenbach, that 

 it was he especially who in Germany first extended the in- 

 fluence of natural history from the confined sphere of books 

 and museums to the extensive and varied circle of life ; that 

 he rendered the results of serious and solitary investigation 

 comprehensible and enjoyable to every educated person de- 

 sirous of information, and that he more particularly understood 

 the method of interesting the higher orders of society in his 

 subject. By means of the comprehensive view he took of the 

 whole range of scientific investigation, he well knew how to 

 select what could awaken and excite the spirit of observation, 

 and he was enabled to bring obscure subjects under a clear 

 point of view, as well as to render what was useful practically 

 available. This disposition and tact for generalization, this 

 desire for popularising and making clear, did not at all inter- 

 fere with the solidity of his information. He investigated 

 with the most indefatigable zeal the most diversified portions 

 of his science, and arrived at conclusions which threw light on 

 the darkest portions of his subject. 



Thoroughly provided with classical knowledge, sharpening 

 and enriching his mental faculties by continued reading, 

 and kept awake by intercourse with the noblest of his time, 

 he was able not only continually to obtain new views of 

 his favourite subjects, but also to communicate to these sub- 



