22 
part can only be profitably worked in conjunction with the 
richer) they are actually losing for ever a large proportion of 
the riches showered by nature upon those lands.* 
Such are, in few words, the processes which will form the 
substance of a course of instruction in the art of mining ; and it 
need scarcely to be observed that a preparatory acquaintance 
with physics, geology, and practical mechanics is indispensably 
necessary. For this reason it is proposed that the Lectures on 
Mining shall be given to the students of the second year, already 
provided with the preliminary studies, some of which have been 
commenced; but in order to obviate misconstruction, it is 
proposed during the present season to deliver a concise course, 
intended simply as an outline of the subject, leaving the more 
detailed treatment for the ensuing year. 
Amid the entire circle of the sciences we can hardly mention 
one which the accomplished miner may not at some time call to 
his aid, from the science of numbers, on which all his other 
knowledge should be based, up to astronomy, which may assist 
in the construction of his maps. We cannot, indeed, expect 
that many will become, like Humboldt, (who was educated, and 
for some time practised, as a miner, )f master in several sciences ; 
but when we add to these the acquaintance with business routine 
and commercial questions which the manager of mining property 
ought to possess, is it not clear as the noon-day that for those 
who desire to excel in this profession a special education ought 
to be superadded to the training of our schools and colleges? 
And is it not equally clear that with so vast a field of investi- 
gation before him the intelligent inquirer must ever remain 
a student, whilst only the shallow pretender can affect to be 
* “ Le desordre administratif et l’ignorance profonde, qui jusqu’ici ont 
preside a ces sauvages operations techniques, nous font presenter combien 
les lavages des terrains auriferea doivent ttre irnparfait dans la peninsule, 
combien d’or y est perdu pour les generations futures !” — Humboldt, Letter 
to M. Fay. 
| Alexander Von Humboldt was a student at the mining academy of 
Freiberg, in Saxony, in 1791, with von liuch, Freiesleben, and other 
coryphaei of mineralogies! and geological science. 
