xxxn 



selves from their fatherland. These deplorable events weighed all 

 the more heavily on the old man, as his own political tendencies were 

 strongly conservative. Added to these family afflictions, a growing 

 infirmity of his eyesight induced Tiedemann to withdraw from puhlic 

 duty, and to retire in 1849 to Bremen, and thence soon after to 

 Frankfort. There he met with a kind reception from numerous 

 attached friends, and in 1854 he was honoured by the celebration 

 of his " Doctor- Jubilaeum," on the fiftieth anniversary of his pro- 

 motion to the Degree of Doctor. On this occasion not only his 

 immediate friends and countrymen, but men of science in all parts 

 of the world joined in the general testimony of respect ; and a medal, 

 bearing his likeness, was struck in commemoration of the event. 

 Having recovered a very serviceable degree of vision by a successful 

 operation for cataract, he continued to enjoy his retirement, and to 

 gratify his passion for natural scenery in summer excursions among 

 the Bavarian Alps ; but after a time he became subject to attacks of 

 bronchitis, under which he finally sank on the 22nd of January, 

 1861. 



Tiedemann, besides a thorough acquaintance with the literature of 

 his special department, possessed a large stock of accurate general 

 information the fruit of diligent reading and personal observation, 

 favoured by a singularly exact and capacious memory. His private 

 as well as his public life was characterized throughout by elevated 

 sentiment, manly independence, and strict integrity. We have already 

 mentioned the special honour conferred upon him in his old age ; and 

 as a further evidence of the esteem in which he was held, we may 

 add that he was elected a member of no less than sixty- two learned 

 Academies and Societies. He was also raised to the rank of Privy 

 Councillor by the Grand Duke of Baden, and received orders of 

 Knighthood from Baden, Bavaria, Greece, and Prussia. His election 

 to the Foreign Membership of the Royal Society took place in 1832. 



