162 Biographical Account of [March^ 



Wolf, Krause, Eberhard, Gren, Sprengel, Nettleblatt^ Fischer, 

 Forster, and Rudiger : and by his talents and industry gained so 

 much reputation^ that King Frederick William II., upon the 

 death of his father on the l/th February, I'/S/? named him a 

 Mining Cadet, and assigned hira an allowance to support him in 

 his university and mineralogical studies. 



The same year he published the second part of his father's 

 physico-chemical treatises. His own treatise, written in conse- 

 quence of the prize proposed by the naturalists of Bern for 

 Michaelmas, 1/87? for the best classification and description of 

 elay-slates, horn-slates, and wacke, was successful. The philo- 

 sophical faculty of Halle conferred upon him the title of Doctor, 

 and the Society of Naturalists in the same place elected him a 

 member of their learned body. 



In the year 1788 Karsten went to Marburg, to draw up a 

 complete systematic description of the natural history cabinet of 

 the late Leske. He laid the result of his labours before the eyes 

 of the learned world the year following, in two works which laid 

 the foundation of his reputation, and contributed materially to 

 complete his practical knowledge of the kingdoms of nature 

 which he had undertaken to describe. The names of these two 

 works were : 



1. Museum Leskeanum regnuvi anlmale 364, 8vo. mit. 

 Leskens vorausgesetzter kurzer Lebensbeschreibung (with Leske's 

 short descriptions prefixed). 



2. Des Herni Professor Leske /miter lasscnes Miner alien kahinet 

 sysiematisch geoixlnet und besckriehen von D, L. G. Karsten^ 

 2 theile, 8vo. (Professor Leske's mineral cabinet, systematically 

 arranged and described by D. L. G. Karsten, in two parts, 8vo.) 



In 1739 he was appointed, by the mining administration of 

 the time, an assessor, with a vote. On the 19th of February, 

 1792, he obtained the patent of Mine Counsellor. On the Sd 

 of February, 1797? he was appointed Supreme Mine Coun- 

 sellor (Ober-Bergrath). On the 1st of March, 1803, Supreme 

 Privy Mine Counsellor (Geheimen Ober-Bergrath) : and lastly, 

 a little before his death, he was named Counsellor of State 

 (Staatsrath) ; and the direction of the mines under the Minister 

 of the Interior was committed to his charge. On the 18th of 

 January, 1810, he was named by the King a Knight of the 

 third Class of the Order of the Red Eagle (des rothen Adlerordens 

 3terKlasse). 



Such is a short history of the learned career of Karsten, and 

 of the situations which he obtained from the State. There can 

 he no doubt that his universal and well known merit would havtj 

 opened him a way to the highest situations. His early death was 

 the more unfortunate for his country, as he was on the point 

 of entering upon an office which was excellently suited to im 

 peculiar attainments. 



