OF BARON HUMBOLDT. 67 



crust of the earth, under Werner, equally emi- 

 nent in both branches, Geology and Geognosy. 

 The short sojourn of Alexander von Humboldt 

 at this mining-school, where he met with a 

 former acquaintance, Leopold von Buch, an 

 earnest student of botany, and other young 

 men, all anxious to profit by the teaching of 

 Werner, proved not only a most agreeable, but 

 a highly beneficial period in his memorable 

 career. , After these elaborate preparations he 

 appeared, at the commencement of the year 

 1792, not only in his social position, but took 

 his place amongst the authors of his day. 

 He received the appointment of Assessor 

 to the mining and smelting department of 

 Berlin, but relinquished it after a short time, 

 in order to superintend some new mines at 

 Bayreuth, in the capacity of Director- General 

 of Mines in the principalities of Bayreuth and 

 Anspach. In this new position he manifested 

 great zeal in promoting public institutions of a 

 scientific and educational character, anxious to 

 improve the condition of the miners. He re- 

 linquished voluntarily this appointment in the 

 year 1795. Although he was quietly engaged 

 in realizing his great object the exploration 

 of distant countries he found in his more 

 immediate neighbourhood, his practical occu- 



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