FERDINAND, FREIHERR VON RICHTHOFEN 567 



shrink from attributing to a generally neglected agency, the wind, 

 effects which are not only actually stupendous, but which he him- 

 self overestimated. He pursued the phenomena of the loess dis- 

 tricts into the minutest details, and found ingenious and consistent 

 explanations for the most puzzling peculiarities. His views were 

 accepted by those who were most familiar with the loess of Asia, and 

 there is no doubt that they must always constitute a- principal part 

 of any explanation of the phenomena. If they be modified, it will 

 be through recognition of the fact that great changes have taken 

 place in the mountain and river systems of China during and since 

 the epochs of the loess. 



Von Richthofen's latest contributions consist of four papers, 

 entitled: " Geomorphological Studies of Eastern Asia." In these he 

 pursues the method with which, in his earlier work, he boldly sketched 

 the mountain ranges of China far beyond his field of observation, on 

 the basis of the strike of geological formations; but he enlarges his 

 field from orogenic to epeirogenic problems, and discusses the rela- 

 tions of the great highlands of Asia to the lowlands of its eastern 

 coast and the curving chains of islands which inclose the adjacent 

 seas. These problems are closely related to those to which Suess has 

 devoted his life-work in the search for the Hauptstruktur- Linden of 

 the earth, and they are intimately connected with fundamental 

 questions of continental equilibrium and volcanic eruption. The 

 articles are the fruit of the broadest knowledge of the geographical 

 facts and of the most earnest lifelong study of the stupendous phe- 

 nomena which Asia as a continent presents. They are the last work 

 of the master of the subject. 



Von Richthofen was a man of large stature and fine appearance, 

 one who knew well the respect due to scholarship and the dignity of 

 his own position. On occasion his grave courtesy expressed that 

 dignified reserve which marks the deep thinker and the doer of great 

 things. His life had been spent in consideration of large problems 

 not only of science, but of nations and of humanity. His powerful 

 intellect had grown with profound thinking, and in discussion one felt 

 its grasp and penetrating force. But his heart also had grown great 

 with experience, and his natural kindliness led him ever to consider 

 others before himself. He was not only a great man, he was a man 

 to love and honor. 



