A%Ja°rch,i905!'m'}  Dr.  Friedrich  Hoffmann.  145 
the  Joachimsthal  Gymnasium  in  Berlin,  and  in  1847  began  his  ap- 
prenticeship in  pharmacy.  From  1854  to  1856  he  studied  at  the 
University  of  Berlin,  where  it  was  his  privilege  to  receive  instruc- 
tion from  such  eminent  teachers  as  Mitscherlich  and  Heinrich  Rose, 
in  chemistry;  Otto  Berg  and  Alexander  Braun,  in  botany  and 
pharmacognosy  ;  Ehrenberg,  in  microscopy ;  Dove  and  Magnus,  in 
physics;  Johannes  Muller,  in  physiology;  and  Carl  Ritter,  in  com- 
parative geography.  But  a  little  more  than  a  year  has  passed  since 
the  writer  had  the  opportunity  of  walking  with  Dr.  Hoffmann 
through  the  grounds  surrounding  the  old  University  buildings  in 
Berlin,  and  many  interesting  and  touching  reminiscences  were  then 
recounted  of  the  time,  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  when,  as  a  young 
and  enthusiastic  student,  Hoffmann  spent  there  many  happy  days. 
Not  less  interesting  were  his  elaborated  notes  on  the  lectures  and 
laboratory-work  of  that  period,  in  many  cases  illustrated  with  hand- 
some pen-sketches,  which  had  been  carefully  preserved  through  all 
the  wanderings  of  the  intervening  years,  and  in  which  he  evinced  a 
justifiable  pride.  It  was  evident  that  even  at  that  early  age  the 
young  apothecary  had  shown  exceptional  talent,  and  that  he  had 
pursued  his  studies  with  something  more  than  ordinary  zeal  and 
diligence. 
Having  passed  his  State  examination  in  pharmacy  with  the  high- 
est honors,  and  with  a  special  inclination  towards  the  sciences  ot 
botany  and  forestry,  Hoffmann  applied  himself  for  a  time  to  these 
studies,  but,  after  having  taken  his  degree  at  the  University  of  Jena, 
in  1859,  circumstances  rendered  it  necessary  for  him  to  change  his 
plans  and  return  to  pharmacy.  Thus,  after  some  years  devoted  to 
this  pursuit  in  his  native  country,  he  left  Germany  in  1862,  and 
established  himself  in  the  city  of  New  York.  In  the  metropolis  of 
the  New  World,  which  was  destined  to  be  his  home  for  a  period  of 
thirty-four  years,  Dr.  Hoffmann's  sound  scientific  training  and 
literary  abilities  soon  found  recognition  and  appreciation.  During 
the  first  four  years  of  his  residence  in  the  United  States  he  was 
engaged  in  teaching,  and  as  an  expert  or  adviser  in  connection  with 
various  chemical  industries.  For  the  next  sixteen  years  he  was 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  pharmacy,  although  still  finding  time  for 
a  large  amount  of  literary  work.  This  found  expression  in  several 
papers  on  the  subjects  of  pharmaceutical  education  and  legislation, 
and  in  a  number  of  interesting  biographical  sketches,  including 
those  of  some  of  his  earlier  teachers  at  the  University  of  Berlin, 
