OF BAEON HUMBOLDT. 117 



universal stand-point in his special department 

 of classics and politics. 



A new phenomenon of nature, and in the im- 

 mediate vicinity of Rome, called Alexander von 

 Humboldt, in the summer of 1805, away from 

 the city. Vesuvius gave indication of greater 

 activity, and an eruption appeared imminent. 

 Humboldt, accompanied by two friends, Leo- 

 pold von Buch and Gay-Lussac, who had come 

 purposely to Italy in order to witness this phe- 

 nomenon, arrived on the 12th of August, during 

 a remarkable eruption. The experience which 

 Baron Humboldt had already obtained with 

 regard to the volcanic phenomena of the earth, 

 and the presence and assistance of celebrated 

 men of science, made these observations more 

 especially valuable. He added new experience 

 to his former observations of the magnetic 

 needle, already commenced during his resi- 

 dence at Paris in 1798. He examined more 

 especially the magnetic properties of certain 

 kinds of rock. 



Alexander von Humboldt left Italy for Berlin, 

 where he remained during the years 1806 and 

 1807, and had to witness the sad political 

 degradation of his country, but where he 

 nevertheless achieved new scientific conquests. 

 He continued his observations of the mag- 



