The Invention of Nature

Chapter 7: Chimborazo

1

AH to Mexico: AH to WH, 25 November 1802, AH WH Letters 1880, p.54.

2

‘monstrous colossus’: Ibid., p.48.

3

from Quito to Chimborazo: AH, 9–12 June and 12–28 June 1802, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, pp.94–104.

4

‘exerts a mysterious’: AH, About an Attempt to Climb to the Top of Chimborazo, Kutzinski 2012, p.136.

5

AH’s Chimborazo climb: AH to WH, 25 November 1802, AH WH Letters 1880, p.48; AH, About an Attempt to Climb to the Top of Chimborazo, in Kutzinski 2012, pp.135–55; AH, 23 June 1802, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, pp.100–109.

6

cuchilla

ridge: AH, About an Attempt to Climb to the Top of Chimborazo, Kutzinski 2012, p.140.

7

‘was very dangerous’: AH, 23 June 1802, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, p.106.

8

boiling water: AH Geography 2009, p.120; AH Geography 1807, pp.1613.

9

19,413 feet (3036 toises): AH, 23 June 1802, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, p.106.

10

‘to connect ideas’: WH to Karl Gustav von Brinkmann, 18 March 1793, Heinz 2003, p.19.

11

‘a thousand threads’: Georg Gerland, 1869, Jahn 2004, p.19.

12

‘resemblance which we’: AH Personal Narrative 1814–29, vol.3, p.160; see also p.495; AH pointed out these connections again and again in his

Essay on Plant Geography

(1807) but also in AH Personal Narrative 1814–29, vol.3, p.490ff.; AH Aspects 1849, vol.2, p.3ff.; AH Views 2014, p.155ff.; AH Ansichten 1849, vol.2, p.3ff.

13

alpine rose tree: AH Personal Narrative 1814–29, vol.3, p.453.

14

trees Mexico and Canada, Europe: AH Geography 2009, pp.65–6; AH Geography 1807, p.5ff.

15

everything connected: AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.xviii; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.vi.

16

vegetation zones Andes: AH Geography 2009, p.77; AH Geography 1807, p.35ff.; AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.11; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.12.

17

‘a higher point of’: AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.40; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.39.

18

‘a single glance’: AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.11; for mountains inspiring AH, see also p.347; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.12.

19

draft of

Naturgemälde

: AH Geography 2009, p.61; AH Geography 1807, p.iii; Holl 2009, pp.181–3 and Fiedler and Leitner 2000, p.234.

20

‘microcosm on one page’: AH to Marc-Auguste Pictet, 3 February 1805, Dove 1881, p.103.

21

‘Nature is a living whole’: AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.39, my translation (‘belebtes Naturganzes … Nicht ein todtes Aggregat ist die Natur’). The English translation is poor: ‘living connections’ doesn’t convey AH’s meaning, while the sentence about nature not being a dead aggregate is completely missing. AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.40.

22

‘universal profusion’: AH Aspects 1849, vol.2, p.3; AH Views 2014, p.155; AH Ansichten 1849, vol.2, p.3.

23

‘organic powers are’: AH Aspects 1849, vol.2, p.10; AH Views 2014, p.158; AH Ansichten 1849, vol.2, p.11.

24

‘in their relation’: AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.41; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.40.

25

Naturgemälde

: The

Naturgemälde

was published in Humboldt’s

Essay on the Geography of Plants

(1807).

26

‘unity in variety’: AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.48; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.55, my translation (‘Einheit in der Vielheit’).

27

indigenous languages sophisticated: AH, 12 April 1803–20 January 1804, Mexico, AH Diary 1982, p.187; AH to WH, 25 November 1802, AH WH Letters 1880, pp.51–2.

28

‘future, eternity, existence’: Ibid., p.52.

29

ancient manuscripts: Ibid., p.50.

30

old trees scarce: AH Aspects 1849, vol.2, p.268; AH Views 2014, p.268; AH Ansichten 1849, vol.2, p.319; see also AH, 23–28 July 1802, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, pp.126–30.

31

magnetic equator: AH, Abstract of Humboldt’s and Bonpland’s Expedition, end of June 1804, AH Letters USA 2004, p.507; Helferich 2005, p.242.

32

AH about Humboldt Current: Kortum 1999, pp.98–100; in particular AH to Heinrich Berghaus, 21 February 1840, p.98.

33

‘observations from the’: AH Views 2014, p.244; AH Aspects 1849, vol.2, p.215; AH Ansichten 1849, vol.2, p.254.

34

‘the seemingly obvious’: AH’s guide in Mexico City about AH, 1803, Beck 1959, p.26.

35

pockets full like a boy: Ibid., p.27.

36

Cotopaxi erupted: AH, 31 January–6 February 1803, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, p.182ff.

37

express messenger: Ibid., p.184.

38

AH heard Cotopaxi: AH Cordilleras 1814, vol.1, p.119; AH Cordilleren 1810, vol.1, p.58.

39

‘I’m getting poorer day’: AH, 27 February 1803, AH Diary 2003, vol.2, p.190.