OF BABON HUMBOLDT. 169 



Humboldt offers in his " Cosmos " a general 

 picture of nature, a survey of her phenomena. 

 The word " Cosmos" embraces the universe, 

 its laws, and its beauties. Beginning with 

 the remotest nebulous spots in the heavens, 

 he descends gradually to the multifarious life 

 of our earth. In this " all " Humboldt laboured 

 for half a century with keen perception, and 

 an ever clear and calm mind. His pictures of 

 the universe are the result of his own exten- 

 sive experience. If we consider this " all" filled 

 with a world- ether, a volatile fluid, we perceive 

 it in the first instance densified in the nebulous 

 spots of the heavens ; in an increased density 

 in the comets, yet still penetrable by the rays 

 of light, until in the planets gradually all degrees 

 of density are reached, from that of antimony 

 and metals, to that of honey, water, and fir- 

 wood; inasmuch as one planet represents the 

 more, the other the less dense matter. 



In the complete picture of the universe, as 

 it is represented in the " Cosmos," man above 

 all occupies a conspicuous place. Humboldt 

 examined with peculiar interest the different 

 gradations of the various races and their geo- 

 graphical distribution. For this purpose he 

 regarded especially the historical development 

 of mankind, their origin, the fundamental umV 



