6 MEMOIR OF WERNER. 



reputation to his scholars ; and it is in fact by them 

 that it has been established. In this point, also, re- 

 sembling Socrates, to whom he has been compared 

 in so many other respects, nothing can be known of 

 his views but from the notes that have been taken of 

 his lectures. Whether it was that he was satisfied 

 with the indisputable ascendency which he acquired 

 by his powers of speaking, or that the vivacity of 

 his imagination could not submit to the restraint and 

 tediousness of writing, it was not without the great- 

 est difficulty that he prevailed on himself to prepare 

 for the press one or two pamphlets, and a few ar- 

 ticles for the journals. But he engaged in oral dis- 

 cussion as readily as could be wished, and his con- 

 versation was that of a man of genius, as well as 

 of benevolent feeling. For hours together he would 

 continue to utter the boldest and best connected 

 ideas ; but nothing could make him take up a pen. 

 He had an antipathy even for the mechanical act 

 of writing, which was rendered amusing by its very 

 excess. His letters are extremely few. The ten- 

 derest friendship, the most profound esteem, could 

 scarcely extort one from him ; and at last, that he 

 might not reproach himself for this want of polite- 

 ness, he ceased to open such letters as were sent to 

 him. One author, who was desirous to have the 

 opinion of many scientific men respecting a volumi- 

 nous work, circulated his manuscript among them. 

 During its progress the packet was lost. After a 

 thousand researches, it was at last disinterred from 



