[Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xxi. to face p. xl. 



ADDElfLITM TO THE ANNIVEESAEr AdDBESS OP THE PeESIDENT. 



Dr. Geoege Poechhammee was bom at Husum on the 26th July, 

 1794. After his preliminary studies in Latin and chemistry, he 

 entered the University of Kiel, where he became an assistant in 

 Pfaff's laboratory. In 1818 he went to Copenhagen, where he soon 

 became Oersted's assistant. In 1820 he took his doctor's degree, on 

 which occasion he wrote a treatise * De Mangano.' After travelling 

 for two years in England, Scotland, the Hebrides, and the Faroe 

 Islands, he was appointed teacher of Mineralogy and Chemistry at 

 the University of Copenhagen. In 1825 he became a Member of 

 the Academy of Sciences there ; in 1829 he was named Professor of 

 Chemistry and Mineralogy at the Polytechnical Institute ; and in 

 1831 Professor of Mineralogy at the University. Since 1851 he was 

 Director of the Polytechnical Institute, and Secretary of the Aca- 

 demy of Sciences. 



His literary productions were partly chemico-mineralogical, and 

 partly geognostical, chiefly with reference to the Danish Kingdom 

 and the Duchies. An important portion of his investigations refers 

 to the water of the sea and that of springs, wells, streams, and fresh- 

 water lakes. Many of his works refer generally to natural history, 

 while others contain views and representations of objects of natural 

 history. 



Dr. Porchhammer was blessed with an unusual capacity for 

 work, which, together with his rich stores of knowledge, enabled 

 him to meet the numerous calls upon his time and labour. The Pro- 

 fessorship at the University, the care of the Mineralogical Museum, 

 the Directorship of the Polytechnical Institute, the Secretaryship of 

 the Academy of Sciences, required extraordinary powers from one 

 man. Moreover, as Eector of the University, he had to superintend 

 new buildings of great extent, and to make full reports on many 

 questions referred to him by the Government. He was consulted 

 scientifically, not only for public, but for many private undertakings, 

 where his knowledge, his practical talent, and his extreme good- 

 nature were available. The result was that he was loaded with 

 honours by the Government, and that he enjoyed the friendship and 

 esteem of all who knew him. 



