BIRTH AND EDUCATION OF HUMBOLDT. 1G 
the footsteps of the student, there is reflected from 
the actual examination of the material universe a 
light which never fails to conduct the mind at once 
to sure knowledge and to pious sentiment. 
Frederick Henry Alexander Von Humboldt was 
born at Berlin on the 14th of September 1769. He 
received his academic education at Gottingen and 
Frankfort on the Oder. In 1790 he visited Holland 
and England in company with Messrs George For- 
ster and Van Geuns, and in the same year published 
his first work, entitled “ Observations on the Basalts 
of the Rhine.” In 1791 he went to Freyberg to re- 
ceive the instructions of the celebrated Werner, the 
founder of geological science. The results of some 
of his observations in the mines of that district were 
published in 1793, under the title of Speczmen Florce 
Fribergensis Subterranee. 
Having been appointed assessor of the Council of 
- Mines at Berlin in 1792, and afterwards director- 
general of the mines of the principalities of Baireuth 
and Anspach in Franconia, he directed his efforts to 
the formation of public establishments in these dis- 
tricts; but in 1795 he resigned his office with the 
' view of travelling, and visited part of Italy. 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 experi- 
ments on animal electricity were published in 1796, 
with notes by Professor Blumenbach. In 1795 he 
had gone to Vienna, where he remained some time, 
ardently engaged in the study of a fine collection of 
exotic plants in that city. He travelied through se- 
veral cantons of Salzburg and Styria with the cele- 
