HIS EARLV OCCUPATIONS. 19 



celebrated Werner, tlie founder of geological science, chap, l 

 The results of some of his observations in tbe mines of 

 that district were published in ] 793, under tlie title of 

 Specimen F/orce Freibergensis Suhterranece. 



Having been appointed assessor of the Council of Assessor- 

 Mines at Berlin in 1792, and afterwards director-gene- siiipof 



couiicU of 



ral of the mines of the principalities of Baireuth and mines. 

 Anspach in Franconia, he directed his efforts to the for- 

 mation of public establishments in these districts ; and 

 in 1795, he visited part of Ital}^ and Switzerland. His 

 active and comprehensive mind engaged in the study of 

 all the physical sciences ; but the discoveries of Galvani 

 seem at this period to have more particularly attracted 

 his attention. The results of his experiments on animal 

 electricity were published in 1796, with notes by Pro- 

 fessor Blumenbach. In 1795 he had gone to A'ienna, visit to 

 where he remained some time, ardently engaged in the Vienna, 

 study of a fine collection of exotic plants in that city. 

 He travelled through several cantons of Salzburg and 

 Styria with the celebrated Von Buch, but was prevented 

 by the war which then raged in Italy from extending 

 his journey to that country, whither he was anxious 

 to proceed for the purpose of examining the volcanic 

 districts of Naples and Sicily. Accompanied by his -po pans. 

 brother William Von Humboldt and Mr Fischer, he 

 then visited Paris, where he formed an acquaintance 

 with M. Aime Bonpland, a pupil of the school of Medi- 

 cine and Garden of Plants, who afterwards becoming his 

 associate in travel, has greatly distinguished himself by 

 his numerous discoveries in botany. 



Humboldt, from his earliest youth, had cherished an Desire to 

 ardent desire to travel into distant regions little known '''^'^' 

 to Europeans, and, having at the age of eighteen re- 

 solved to visit the New Continent, he prepared himself 

 by examining some of the most interesting parts of 

 Europe, that he might be enabled to compare the geo- 

 logical structure of these two portions of the globe, and 

 acquire a practical acquaintance with the instruments 

 best adapted for aiding him in his observations. For- 



