26 SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS 



strata as presented in the crust of the earth in 

 Europe, and thus arrived at the important con- 

 clusion, that, on the whole, one and the same 

 law operated in the formation of the crust of 

 the earth. 



This study of Humboldt respecting the in- 

 fluence of volcanoes, the appearance and the 

 effects of fire in our earth, urged him to. 

 examine the nature of earthquakes ; and, on 

 this important subject, he produced the first 

 notable facts, and the first specific informa- 

 tion. He taught that the hidden multitude of 

 volcanos in the interior of the earth, though 

 many hundred miles distant one from the other, 

 maintain a mutual connection ; and hence earth- 

 quakes are felt upon a space of several thousand 

 square miles simultaneously. He proved the 

 existence of certain volcanic veins in the in- 

 terior of the earth, from the directions in which 

 earthquakes propagate themselves, and the 

 order they observe in their continuity ; and 

 here again Humboldt presents us with new 

 aspects in the study of natural science. The 

 laborious and careful calculations of Humboldt 

 place the number of known volcanoes at 225 ; 

 of which 198 are found surrounding the basin 

 of the Pacific. " Thus, while the bed of the 

 Pacific itself is, considering its vast magnitude, 



