FRIENDS AND COADJUTORS AT PARIS. 33 



gained considerable eminence as an analyst. He died at the 

 close of the year 1809. Humboldt was acquainted with him 

 prior to his journey to America, and frequently corresponded 

 with him and Dolomieu, the well-known mineralogist, from 

 Bayreuth, while engaged upon his experiments on galvanism, in 

 reference to which Fourcroy (see vol. i. p. 197) thus expressed 

 himself: 'I think Herr Humboldt is a little rash in his con- 

 clusions .... still this does not prevent me from regarding 

 his experiments as of extreme interest and meriting further 

 elaboration. I never allow myself to do anything hurriedly in 

 this field of investigation ; I proceed slowly but surely, and 

 hope in time to attain the end I am seeking. I am quite 

 impatient to see what Hildebrandt and Humboldt have written 

 on this subject ; hasty as they seem to me to be in some of their 

 conclusions concerning the chemical processes of vegetable and 

 animal life, I do not know why their mode of analysis should 

 not be as successful as ours in ascertaining the nature of 

 living organisms. While their zeal and courage excite my 

 admiration, they will scarcely be disposed to censure our wise 

 reserve and prudent hesitation.' As Fourcroy was thus ex- 

 pressing himself upon Humboldt's almost boyish efforts in the 

 field of science, Humboldt, in a letter written but a short while 

 previously, had been excited to exclaim : ' How much light 

 may we not expect on these subjects from Fourcroy and 

 Vauquelin!' These distinguished men were thus early im- 

 bued with a mutual appreciation, and this instance affords a 

 proof of the remarkable esteem accorded to Humboldt when a 

 mere youth by the first scientific men of Paris. 



Nicholas-Louis Vauquelin^ born in Normandy in 1763, was, 

 when but twenty, associated with Fourcroy as assistant in his 

 chemical labours, and continued in active co-operation with 

 him for the space nearly of a quarter of a century. Vauquelin 

 filled with distinction various offices and posts of honour, and 

 upon the death of Fourcroy succeeded him as Professor of 

 Chemistry at the Ecole de Medecine at Paris. He died in the 

 year 1829. 



Zoology, also, at this time, found many brilliant representa- 

 tives in Paris, who, like Fourcroy and Vauquelin, accomplished 

 much valuable work by the system of concerted labour. We 



VOL. II. D 



