KOERNER, Karl Theodor, only son of the preceding, and a distinguished German poet, was born at Dresden on the 23rd September, 1791. He received a most careful education, and in early boyhood gave promise of future distinction. For two years he frequented the mining academy at Freiberg, whence he proceeded to the university of Leipsic in order to devote himself to law. About the same time he published the first collection of his poems, under the modest title of "Knospen" (Buds). These were of course very insignificant juvenile productions. At Leipsic his unrestrained imagination led him into errors, which caused his father to send him to Berlin. Here a severe illness interrupted the course of his studies, and without completing them he went to Vienna where he brought out some slight comedies with surprising success; and in 1812 was appointed on flattering terms poet to the burgtheater. These comedies were soon followed by the more ambitious dramas, "Toni" and "Hedwig," and by the tragedy of "Zriny," which responded to the feelings of the day, and was hailed with almost universal applause. At the same time he contracted an engagement with an accomplished young lady, and everything augured well for the future career of the youthful poet, when in 1813 the war of liberation broke out, and Körner was led by his ardent patriotism to join the celebrated volunteer corps of Major von Lützow. He soon distinguished himself so much by his ability and bravery that Lützow made him his aid-de-camp. In a skirmish with the French near Kitzen he was wounded, and with great difficulty escaped from being taken prisoner. After having recovered from his wounds he hastened back to his corps, and soon after was mortally wounded at Gadebusch, near Schwerin, on 26th August, 1813, where he was buried under a venerable old oak. The spot was presented to his father by the Grand-duke of Mecklenburg Schwerin, and both the sister and father of the poet found their resting-place beside him. As a poet Körner may justly be considered as the spiritual son of Schiller, his father's intimate friend; only his war songs, composed during the campaign, show a greater originality, and have won for him the surname of the German Tyrtæus. Set to music by Weber, they have for a long time ranked among the favourite songs of the youth of Germany. They were published in a collective form by the poet's father, under the title of "Leyer und Schwert." Körner's complete works were edited by Streckfuss, Berlin, 1834.—(See Life of Theodor Körner by F. W. Lehmann, 1819, and by H. A. Erhard, 1821.)—K. E.
KOERTE, Wilhelm, a German writer, was born at Ascherleben, 24th March, 1776. He was educated by his great-uncle, the poet Gleim, who introduced him to many of his eminent contemporaries. After residing at Halle, Körte settled at Halberstadt, where he remained till his death, which took place on the 30th of January, 1846. His principal works are—"The Life of Gleim," "The Life and Studies of F. A. Wolf," "Albert Thaer's Life and Labours"—all written in German. For a complete list see Heinsius' Bucher Lexicon.—R. H.
* KOHL, Johann Georg, a German traveller, was born at Bremen on the 28th April, 1808; and after studying the law at Göttingen, Heidelberg, and Munich, he became private teacher to some noble families in Courland, whence he travelled through Russia. He then settled at Dresden, and from this place undertook travels to almost all European countries, of which he has given accounts in his numerous works. For several years he resided in America, where he continued publishing highly instructive and interesting books of travel, both in German and English. Recently he has returned to Bremen.—K. E.
KOLB, Peter, was born in 1675 at Dorflas in Bavaria. The son of poor parents, he was yet carefully educated; and being patronized by the Baron Von Krosick, was sent to the Cape of Good Hope to make observations in astronomy and natural history. He landed at the Cape in 1706; but after a residence there of seven years he suffered so severely from ophthalmia as nearly to lose his sight, and was consequently compelled to return to Europe. Fondly devoted to his good and humble mother, he refused many lucrative offers in order that he might remain by her side and cheer her declining years; and he died poor, as he had lived, in 1726. His works contain valuable information as to the customs of the Hottentots.—W. J. P.
KOLBE, Karl Wilhelm, German engraver and author, was born at Berlin, November 20, 1757. Until his twenty-sixth year he was professor of the French language in the Philanthropic school of Dessau; but on the breaking-up of that establishment resolved, in accordance with the advice of his relatives the engraver Chodowiecky, to trust to his artistic talent. He accordingly entered the Berlin Academy, and studied landscape design and engraving, making rapid progress in both. He learnt to sketch with wonderful facility, and engraved many of his sketches; was elected a member of the Academy; and ultimately recalled to Dessau as professor in the art-school. In 1796 he published a series of forty-nine plates of landscapes; in 1805 a set of folio etchings from the paintings and drawings of Salomon Gessner; and in 1825 a series of eighteen studies of herbage. His engravings, one hundred and twenty-five in all, were republished in a collected form. Kolbe used the pen with as much facility as the graver. Late in life he published several works of a philological character, chiefly on the characteristics of the French and German languages; and his autobiography, "Mein Lebenslauf und mein Werken," 8vo, Berlin, 1825. He resigned his professorship in 1829, and died January 15, 1835.—J. T—e.
* KOLK, James Louis Conrad Schroeder van der, professor of anatomy and physiology in the university of Utrecht, was born on the 14th of March, 1797, at Leeuwarden in Friesland, where his father, Henry William van der Kolk, practised medicine. He received the earlier part of his education at Wommels, a village of Friesland; and in 1812 entered the university of Groningen. Here he devoted himself to such studies, among others, as natural philosophy, chemistry, and botany. In 1815, when prize questions were for the first time submitted for competition, he was among the successful candidates; and four years later, he again received the medal for his essay on the coagulation of the blood flowing from the vessels. On the 17th of June, 1820, he was admitted to the degrees of doctor of medicine and doctor in midwifery. In the autumn of the same year he settled as a practising physician at Hoorn, but remained there scarcely twelve months, having in 1821 been appointed resident physician to the suburban hospital at Amsterdam, where he collected the materials for his well-known "Observationes Anatomico-pathologici et Practici Argumenti," published in 1826. As from one hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy lunatics were under treatment in that institution, he had there also the opportunity of studying the true nature and source of mental disease, which had previously been so little understood; and it was thus that he became qualified subsequently to introduce vast improvements into the care and treatment of the insane in the kingdom of Holland. Having in 1826 left the hospital for the purpose of practising in Amsterdam, he was in the same year appointed professor of anatomy and physiology in the university of Utrecht. In this capacity he was in the habit of giving his observations in these sciences to be wrought out by his best pupils; in consequence of which a vast number of valuable essays has from time to time issued from the university. In addition, he has himself produced many most valuable works, of which the most important are undoubtedly those on the minute structure and functions of the spinal cord and medulla oblongata, published by the Royal Academy of Sciences at Amsterdam. These volumes were, immediately on the completion of the second, translated into German by Professor Theile of Weimar, and into English, by the writer of this article, for the New Sydenham Society. Professor Schroeder van der Kolk's observations on the functions of the corpora olivaria in connection with the articulation of words, are also of the highest importance. A few days after he entered on his professorship, Van der Kolk was chosen co-regent of the institution for the insane at Utrecht, which had at the time fallen into a miserable state. With the zealous assistance of his colleague, he succeeded after many difficulties, chiefly of a financial character, in bringing the asylum to a state of the highest efficiency. This was accomplished chiefly in consequence of the clinical professorship in the suburban hospital at Amsterdam having been in 1830 offered to Van der Kolk on very advantageous terms, whereupon the municipality paid him the compliment of asking him whether anything could be done to induce him to retain his connection with the Utrecht academy. To this question the professor gave the disinterested answer, that he would consider anything done for the improvement of the institution for the insane as having been done to himself; in consequence of which a sum of about ten thousand guilders was raised by the city and province for the institution. In his address on resigning the office of rector magnificus in 1836, Schroeder van der Kolk pointed out the defects in the management of the insane in other parts of Holland, and the
