THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT IN GERMANY. 



207 



fore he left Germany for the extensive travels by which 

 he became celebrated, and through which he founded a 

 new science the science that deals with the geographical 

 distribution of plant life. Moreover, his absence from his 

 native country fell within that period during which the 

 philosophical school, headed by Schelling and Hegel, at- 

 tained to its greatest power. He was never drawn into its 

 vortex ; on the contrary, he maintained a lifelong protest 

 against the spirit of its doctrine at a time when the circle 

 which surrounded him at Berlin came under its powerful 

 influence. 1 He led a long line of ardent young workers 

 both to the right sources of scientific knowledge and 

 to an ultimate victory over the opposed school of 

 thought. Though not a profound mathematician him- 

 self, he appreciated the part which mathematics were 

 destined to play in science. Among other things, he 

 protected and encouraged younger mathematical talents, 

 and tried to draw Gauss from the solitary heights which 

 he inhabited into the midst of the scientific circles of 

 the day. 2 Then there was the great influence which 



1 Cf. p. 178, note 1. It has latterly 

 become the fashion to say so much 

 against the mistaken methods of the 

 Naturphilosophie that it is well to 

 remember how many men of fore- 

 most rank in the natural sciences 

 belonged at one time to this school 

 or were influenced by it. Foremost 

 of all stands Oken (1779-1851), the 

 founder of the German Association 

 of Science, and editor of the peri- 

 odical 'Isis.' Further, the compara- 

 tive anatomist Carus (1789-1869) ; 

 Oersted (1777-1851), the discoverer 

 of electro-magnetism ; Kielmeyer, 

 the friend of Cuvier (1765-1844) ; 

 Ignaz Dolliuger (1770-1841), one of 



the earliest evolutionists ; D. G. 

 Kieser (1779-1862), a medical 

 teacher of great influence. More 

 or less influenced by the teachings 

 of this school were Goethe (1749- 

 1832) ; Karl Ernst von Baer (1792- 

 1876), whose impartial opinion on 

 the Naturphilosophie as early as 

 1821 is important. Further, Lie- 

 big (1803-73); Johannes Miiller 

 (1801-58); Roschlaub (1768-1835) ; 

 Schonlein (1793-1864), the founder 

 of what is called the "natural- 

 history " school of medicine. 



2 See A. von Humboldt's Life by 

 Bruhns, translated by Lassell, 1873, 

 vol. ii. p. 145 sqq. 



