130 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 



lished a school for young ladies, to which both contributed their 

 superior talents, and his earlier education was guided by them. 

 At the age of 15 years he showed a great interest in botany, 

 and began a collection of plants. Studying at home until his 

 1 8th year, he entered the University of Heidelberg, in 1827. 

 Here he formed a friendship with Alexander Braun, which 

 lasted until the death of that distinguished scientist. 



Having joined in a political demonstration in Heidelberg, 

 young Engelmann was obliged to leave the University, and 

 went to Berlin. After two years spent there he entered the 

 University of Wiirzburg, receiving the degree of Doctor of 

 Medicine in 1831. His inaugural dissertation, relating chiefly 

 to the monstrosities and aberrant forms of plants, and illustrated 

 by plates made by himself, is still considered one of the most 

 philosophical of its kind, and was highly commended at the time 

 by the poet-philosopher Goethe. Spending the summer of 1832 

 in Paris with Braun and Agassiz as companions, where he says 

 they " led a glorious life in scientific union in spite of the 

 cholera " then raging in the city, Engelmann accepted a posi- 

 tion as an agent of his uncles for the purchase of lands in the 

 United States, and settled near St. Louis. He made many 

 fatiguing horse-back journeys through the neighboring States, 

 during which he kept a record of his botanical observations, 

 which he afterwards used in his scientific work. 



Deciding to remain in St. Louis, then only a trading post, 

 Dr. Engelmann commenced the practice of medicine with so 

 little means, that he was forced to part with his gun and his 

 faithful horse to furnish his offices. Four years later, however, 

 his practice had become very successful. Familiarity with 

 French and German added much to this success among the early 

 settlers who spoke those languages. This and his great profes- 

 sional ability brought him financial independence, but even to 

 the last year of his life he did not hesitate to respond to the call 

 of those desiring his aid. His vacations, spent at the Harvard 

 gardens and herbarium in the company of his friend Dr. Asa 

 Gray, or in Europe with his wife and son, were devoted to gather- 

 ing data for his scientific work. 



