HUMBOLDT Frankfort-on-the-Oder, and thence to Gottin- gen, where he studied philology tinder the care of Heyne. He here became intimate with George Forster, and through him with Jacobi and Johannes von Milller. When the French revolution broke out, Wilhelm Humboldt, who had long been a reader of Rousseau, went to Paris (July, 1789), in company with Campe; and the result of his observations there was a great distrust of many theories and abstract ideas which he had previously held. Two years later he published his first work on the subject, a memoir in the Berliner MonaUchrift (1792), entitled Ideen uber Staatsverfassung durchdie neue framijsisehe Constitution neran- Insat, in which he combated the possibility of establishing a constitution on untried theories. He discussed the subject more fully at a later date in a separate book : Idees sur un essai de determiner lea limites de faction qiie doit ex- ercer Vetat. After completing this work he laid it aside, judging the time inopportune for its publication, and afterward lost the manu- script, which was not found or published until after his death ; bnt there is every reason to believe that he always entertained the opinions expressed in it. The keynote of the work is individual liberty. It presents a lofty ideal of the rights and duties of the individual, and of the dignity and nobleness to which human na- ture is able and ought to attain. The govern- ment which hinders individual development the least is to him the best. About this time philology and archiBology had become promi- nent objects of investigation, and Humboldt, under the guidance of Heyne and Wolf, entered upon the study of Greek literature and art. An early result of his studies appeared in his " Essay on the Greeks " (1792). In July, 1791, he had married Caroline Dacheroden, a brilliant woman, who shared with him his Greek studies. In 1793, at Jena, he contracted with Schiller an intimacy which had great influence on his studies, the poet inducing him to apply him- self more closely to philosophy and (esthetics. To this intimacy was added that of Goethe, who was then writing " Hermann and Doro- thea." This work owed much to the criti- cisms and care of Humboldt, who not only superintended its printing, but wrote a com- mentary on it which ranks as a masterpiece of German criticism. In 1797, having lost his mother, he began his travels. After remain- ing with his family some time at Dresden, he went to Vienna and thence to Paris, where he arrived in November. He resided a year and a half in Paris, and then went to Spain, where he travelled during six months. At this time he was occupied with his system of comparative anthropology, or a philosophical history of mental development, in which every phase of literature should be traced to a corre- sponding civilization. This ho based on phi- lology, and his first studies were directed to the old Spanish languages, and particularly the Basque. He returned to Germany in isoi, and was soon after appointed Prussian resident minister in Rome, where he distinguished him- self as much in diplomacy as in letters. His knowledge of art enabled him to cultivate friendly personal relations, and his residence became a point of union for the most intelli- gent men in Rome. His letters to Goethe and Schiller, his translations of Pindar and ^Eschy- lus, and the poems written during this period, indicate great activity and versatility. In 1800 the defeat of Prussia at Jena rendered his political position a most trying one. He re- mained unwillingly at Rome during 1807, be- ing desirous of contributing his aid to his country while recovering from its disasters. In 1808 he was recalled by family affairs, and was immediately appointed minister of state for the departments of religion, public educa- tion, and medical establishments. He was called under very trying circumstances, in January, 1809, to reorganize public instruction in Prussia ; and the prominent position which that country at present holds in education is in a great measure due to him. In the midst of the apathy and despondency bordering on despair which at that time affected the peo- ple and government of Prussia, he succeeded in establishing the university of Berlin, and from its foundation until his death his contri- butions formed the chief glory of its trans- actions. All his reforms were effected during a period of general confusion, and in the face of opposition which demanded great firmness, and often severity. When they were fairly es- tablished, he reentered the diplomatic service, and on June 14, 1810, was appointed minister at the court of Vienna. At Prague he met with the minister Stein, who was then flying from the pursuit of Napoleon, and with him concerted the part he was to take in the po- litical struggles of the day. Stein had been greatly interested in the energetic reforms of Humboldt, and now gave him his full confi- dence. His task at the court of Vienna was to effect the reconciliation of Prussia and Austria, to consolidate the strength of Germany, and to excite it against Napoleon. The difficulty of the effort was greatly increased by the passive position assumed by Austria after the campaign of 1809, and the marriage of Maria Louisa to Napoleon in 1810. Finally in 1813, when Prussia rose against Napoleon, the conference of Prague was held. At this most critical pe- riod the perseverance of Humboldt succeeded in overcoming the hesitation of Metternich. Stein, at least, declared that the new course taken by Austria was entirely due to Hum- boldt, and Talleyrand said of him that there were not in all Europe three statesmen of his ability. He manifested the same shrewd- ness, reserve, and energy at the conferences of 1813-'15 at Frankfort, Chatillon, Paris, and the congress of Vienna. But with the forma- tion of the treaty known as the "holy alli- ance " Humboldt had nothing to do, the em- peror of Russia insisting that the king of Prus-
