Sir Frederick Mohs, Professor of' Mineralogy at Vienna. 251 



Dukedom of Anhalt-Bernburgh. He was very young when he 

 lost his father, who was a merchant ; and he also was designed 

 to follow the same profession, but was prevented by his inclina- 

 tion to science, particularly to mathematics. The arrangements 

 of those schools in which he received his early education, obliged 

 him to walk about five miles two or three times a-week, to re- 

 ceive an hour's mathematical instruction. In 1796, he entered 

 the University of Halle, where he studied science and philosophy 

 under his countrymen Klugel and Gren ; and two years after, 

 went to Freyberg, where he became a devoted disciple of the 

 celebrated Werner. Dissatisfied with the geological theories of 

 the old naturalists, he was forcibly struck with the opinions of 

 Werner upon geology ; particularly because they were founded 

 on observation, and required that knowledge should precede 

 explanation. 



Practical mining engaged much of his attention, and he soon 

 received an appointment in his native country, which he shortly 

 afterwards abandoned, to take a charge in the foundation of a 

 scientific institution projected in Dublin by Kirwan, which was 

 soon broken up, owing to the death of those persons who possessed 

 the chief influence in it. About a year after, he returned to Frey- 

 berg, where he became acquainted with Jameson, then prosecut- 

 ing his studies at that place, and now Professor of Natural His- 

 tory in Edinburgh ; and wrote an admirable description of the 

 mine of Himmelfurst, which was published some years afterwards. 

 In 1802, he went to Vienna, where he enlarged his acquaintance 

 with the literati of that place ; and undertook a description of 

 the mineralogical collection of the Banker von der Niill. In this 

 work (Vienna 1804), ai*e contained the elements of those views 

 of natural history which he has since developed. At the same 

 time, he also wrote single essays on various mineralogical sub- 

 jects, which made their appearance in the " Ephemerides" of 

 Baron Von Moll. 



His enthusiasm for geognosy and mining caused him to un- 

 dertake very extensive excursions into Stiria, Saltzburg, Carin- 

 thia, Carniola, Hungary, Transylvania, &c. In 1810 he was 

 appointed by the Austrian Government to examine the districts 

 in Austria and Bohemia, where porcelain earth is dug up, and 



