118 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



CHAPTEE III. 

 OFFICIAL EMPLOYMENT. 



Assessor of Mines Animus of Official Administration Official Employ- 

 ment only a Stepping-stone to more important Scientific Schemes 

 Commission in Franconia Appointment as Superintendent of Mines 

 Extension of Commission to January 1793 Visit to Berlin ' Flora 

 Fribergensis ' Experiments on Sensitive Organisms Commencement 

 of Official Employment in Franconia, May 1793 Condition of Fran- 

 conia Free Schools for Miners Practical Undertakings Scientific 

 Labours Appointment as Counsellor of Mines, 1794 Commission 

 in Southern Prussia Diplomatic Service under Mollendorf Repeated 

 Offers to become Director of the Silesian or Westphalian Mines 

 and Salt Works Refusal Tour in Switzerland, 1795 Return and 

 well-directed Industry Dangerous Experiments Visit to Berlin 

 Diplomatic Mission to Moreau, 1796 Proposals for further Official 

 Service Death of his Mother. 



THOUGH the residence of Alexander von Humboldt at the School 

 of Mines at Freiberg scarcely extended beyond eight months, 

 from June 14, 1791, to February 26, 17 92, yet even this limited 

 period sufficed to enable him to acquire every qualification then 

 necessary for official employment in the Mining Department of 

 the State. A farewell fete was given him by his fellow-students 

 at Freiberg on February 26, and three days afterwards, on the 

 29th of the same month, a ministerial rescript, in fulfilment of 

 the promise made by Heinitz, was issued from Berlin, appointing 

 6 Alexander von Humboldt Assessor cum voto in the Administra- 

 tive Department of Mines and Smelting Works,' an appointment 

 conferred upon him, in the words of the official document, c on 

 account of the valuable knowledge, both theoretical and prac- 

 tical, possessed by him in mathematics, physics, natural history, 

 chemistry, technology, the arts of mining and smelting, and 

 the general routine of business.' It was further enacted that 



