244 Biographical Account of [April, 



Werner, and returned loaded with knowledge to his country; 

 and while he attained the praise of founding a new school, had 

 nearly received the punishment of exile from his native land. 



After Brochant, other advocates of the school of Werner arose 

 in France ; but their services to the cause will not here detain 

 us, with the exception of d'Aubuisson, who was the first who 

 communicated to the public a just account of several of Werner'* 

 doctrines. 



In order to be as concise as possible relative to the progress of 

 the Wernerian doctrines in other foreign countries, 1 shall only 

 relate that in Spain and America they made progress in conse- 

 quence of the assertions of Herrgen and Del Rio ; and that in 

 Portugal, the disciples of this school were headed by Andrada ; 

 and the system extensively published and adopted. 



Hitherto in speaking of Werner, we have only noticed his 

 labours in geognosy and oryctognosy, the sciences in which he 

 was destined to render himself inmiortal, and have spoken of his 

 opinions on these subjects, through which, and his researches 

 relative to the structure of the globe, he so anxiously endeavoured 

 to direct the attention of his followers to the different branches 

 of the science of mineralogy. 



The most remarkable incident, however, in the later years of 

 Werner was his journey to Paris in 1802, occasioned by his zeal 

 in the cause of science, and the wish to confer with the natura- 

 lists of the French capital most devoted to his cause. This 

 modest and fine feeling, learned man, although not insensible to 

 the value of external honours, found himself on this occasion 

 overwhelmed with multiplied proofs of the most flattering 

 distinction, inspired by the disinterested knowledge of his 

 worth.* 



The cabinet which Werner left behind him,t (the result of a 

 life spent in the laudable pursuits attending the formation of this 

 collection, and the sacrifices which had attended its formation, 

 afford convincing proofs of his earnest exertions in the cause of 

 science), has a double value, derived in the first instance from 

 the great merit of the individual who made the collection, and in 

 the second, from the scientific knowledge displayed in the 

 arrangement of the whole. This valuable collection is now in 



• Werner was freely admitted every where at Paris, and courted wherever bit 

 mineralogical knowledge could be appreciated. It is related that in the labora. 

 tory of the School of the Mines, when Descotils was occupied in an elaborate 

 analysis of some specimens of iron ore, he excited astonishment by determining 

 their standard and chemical constitution by a cursory examination of their external 

 characters, in surprising correspondence with the latest analyses of them by the 

 chemist. 



f The collection is divided into six parts ; viz. precious stones, oryctognosy, a 

 collection of show, one of petrefactions, and one illustrative of the external cha- 

 racters of minerals. The collection of precious stones is one of surprising value 

 and rarity. We have had only a very imperfect account of these collections, but 

 it is to be hoped that we shall soon be put in possession of an ample description of 

 tbem by some experienced individual. 



