358 



Miscellaneous. 



He duly appreciated the differences between the remains of the 

 copper-slate, and muschelkalk and transition limestone within the 

 limited vicinity of Gottingen; and further observed the degrees of 

 perfection in the structure of fossil animals, receding gradually into 

 more and more simple forms of organization, as he traced them 

 backwards from the extinct Mammalia of the caverns to the remains 

 of molluscous and radiated animals in the transition rocks; and 

 though his premises were few, he rightly drew from them conclu 

 sions, less extensive, but similar to those which forty years of fur- 

 ther observation over large portions of the earth have more fully 

 established, as to the antiquity of the globe. 



His love for archaeology led to his making a collection of antique 

 gems. He had also a collection of engravings by the older masters, 

 and of ancient woodcuts, which he valued as indices of the progress 

 of science at the time when they were made. 



Blumenbach was a wise and good and profoundly learned man ; 

 born with considerable talent, and well educated from his childhood, 

 he passed his whole life in the best literary and scientific society ; and 

 being placed in an influential academical position, he poured forth 

 daily, during more than half a century, from his rich reservoirs of 

 knowledge unceasing streams to instruct and benefit mankind. His 

 biographer Mark (Gottingen, 184-0) enumerates more than a hun- 

 dred distinct publications of his on various subjects, among which 

 are some biographical sketches of professors and other distinguished 

 men. He possessed a happy, lively and cheerful disposition; was a 

 man of most punctual and temperate habits, ate always the same 

 moderate quantity of food, and was never intoxicated in his life. 

 He abandoned smoking at 66 ; at 86 he left off taking snuff ; and 

 could read small print without spectacles at 88. Blumenbach 

 seemed born for the express functions of a Professor ; from morn- 

 ing till night, his academic duties were his daily occupation and de- 

 light ; and the works of his leisure hours are a register of the pro- 

 gress of discovery in many branches of natural science during 

 more than half a century in which he flourished. As a lecturer his 

 style was familiar, playful, and not unfrequently jocose, always 

 animated and sometimes eloquent, leaving a clear understanding 

 and deep remembrance of the matter he wished to impress upon 

 his hearers ; he was the personal friend, as well as preceptor, of all 

 his pupils, of whom great multitudes have expressed their gratitude 

 in dedications of their works to the teacher from whom they de- 

 rived the rudiments of their knowledge. 



In 1791 he visited London, which he named the sixth quarter of 

 the world, and was honourably received by Sir Joseph Banks and 

 the Royal Society, where he assisted at the opening of six mummies, 

 respecting which he published a paper in the Philosophical Trans- 

 actions ; he was also honoured with a command to visit King George 

 the Third at Windsor. In 1803 he accompanied the King of Bavaria 

 on a tour to the Hartz and Magdeburg. In 1806 he went to Paris 

 on diplomatic business connected with the University of Gottingen, 



