WEIMAR AND JENA. 171 



to himself, and in a letter of January 24, 1857, to Herr von 

 Kobell, author of the poem 6 Die Urzeit,' he especially thanks 

 him for his avowed adherence to the eruptive theory, since ' in 

 the jubilant conclusion of the second canto of his poem, " Die 

 Urzeit," he had ventured to avenge him (Humboldt) for the 

 bad treatment he had received in the second part of " Faust." ' 

 Groethe's aversion to the modern theory of upheaval almost 

 turned him into a volcano, vomiting fire and flame. 'The 

 case may be as it pleases, but it must be written that I curse 

 this execrable racket and lumber-room of the new order of 

 creation I ' ' Able, clever, and bold thinkers dress up for them- 

 selves such a theory out of mere probabilities ; they manage to 

 gather around them followers and adherents, and these from 

 sheer numbers gain a literary power ; the theory gets pushed 

 to an extreme, and is carried forwards with a reckless impetu- 

 osity. ... It is then spoken of as the unanimous belief of 

 scientific investigators.' Undoubtedly Alexander von Humboldt 

 was included among these ' able, clever, and bold thinkers.' 



And when, on the death of Werner in 1817, not only a 

 younger generation but also the older adherents of the Neptunic 

 theory of the school of Freiberg began to view with favour the 

 modern volcanic theories, his 4 abhorrence was increased of the 

 forced explanations such as extensive upheavals, volcanic fires, 

 floods, and other titanic occurrences, to which they were obliged 

 to have recourse.' He was painfully affected by the modern 

 revolutions in science. 



As kings are now from thrones subverted, 



So granite must be disconcerted, 



Arid gneiss, the child, is father held 



Till it in turn is downward felled ; 



For Pluto's trident threatens soon 



To upturn all beneath the moon. 1 



And so at last, in a spirit of proud resignation, he gave vent 

 to the discontented feelings of an old man who sees the well- 



' Wie man die Konige verletzt, 

 Wird der Granit auch abgesetzt ; 

 Und Gneis, der Sohn, ist nun Papa ! 

 Auch dessen Untergang ist nah ; 

 Derm Pluto's Gabel drohet schon 

 Dem Urgrund Revolution.' 



