100 Discourse delivered hj Baron Humboldt to the 



stical constitution of the ground — the relations of its heights and 

 depressions, indicated by barometrical measurements — the varia- 

 tions of the earth's magnetism in different latitudes (especially 

 the augmentations of the inclination and intensity of the mag- 

 netic forces) — the temperature of the interior of the globe — the 

 state of humidity of the atmosphere, by means of a psy chrome- 

 trie instrument, which had not previously been employed on a 

 long journey — and, lastly, the astronomical position of some 

 places, the geographical distribution of vegetables, and of seve- 

 ral groups of the animal kingdom hitherto little known ; philo- 

 sophers and intrepid travellers have confronted the dangers pre- 

 sented by the snow-clad summits of Elborouz and Ararat. 



I feel happy in seeing safely restpred to the bosom of the 

 Academy him whose valuable ideas respecting the hororary va- 

 riations of the magnetic needle we have just received, and 

 to whom the sciences are indebted (along with ingenious and 

 delicate researches in crystallography) for the discovery of the 

 influence of temperature upon the intensity of the electro-mag- 

 netic powers. M. Kupfer has recently returned from the Cau- 

 casian Alps, among which, after long migrations of the human 

 race, in the great shipwreck of nations and tongues, so many 

 different tribes have found refuge. To the name of this travel- 

 ler, our learned associate, is joined, by similarity of labours, the 

 name of the philosopher who, with a noble perseverance, has 

 struggled on the ridges of Ararat, regarded as the classic soil of 

 the earliest and most venerable recollections of history, with the 

 obstacles which the depth and softness of the eternal snows pre- 

 sented to him. I am almost afraid of wounding the modesty of 

 the father, by adding, that M. Parrot, the traveller of Ararat, 

 worthily sustains in the sciences the lustre of a hereditary cele- 

 brity. 



In the more eastern regions of the empire, which have re- 

 ceived illustration from the immortal labours of my country- 

 man Pallas, (pardon me. Gentlemen, if I claim for Prussia part 

 of the glory of which two nations at once may be proud), in the 

 Uralian and Kolyvan mountains, we have followed the still re- 

 cent traces of the scientific expeditions of MM. Ledebour, 

 Meyer and Bunge, and of MM. Hoffmann and Helmersen. The 

 beautiful Flora of the Altai has already enriched the botanical 



