The Invention of Nature

Humboldt, Alexander von: climbs Chimborazo, prl.1, prl.2, prl.3, 7.1, 10.1, 10.2; travels in Latin America, prl.4, 3.1, 6.1, 7.2; interest in volcanoes, prl.5, 3.2, 6.2, 7.3, 9.1, 15.1; birth and family background, prl.6, 1.1; ideas and qualities, prl.7; condemns colonial exploitation, prl.8, 8.1, 9.2, 12.1, 12.2, 13.1, 13.2, 16.1; view of connectivity of nature, prl.9, prl.10, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 10.3, 13.3, 13.4, 15.2, 16.2, 17.1, 23.1; memory, prl.11; influence, prl.12; Thoreau influenced by, prl.13, prl.14, 18.1, 19.1, 19.2; centennial of birth celebrated (1869), prl.15; and South American revolutionary movement, prl.16, 12.3, 12.4; upbringing and education, 1.2, 1.3; appearance and manner, 1.4, 3.3, 11.1, 14.1, 18.2, 18.3, 20.1, 20.2; sharp comments and wit, 1.5, 9.3, 11.2, 11.3, 18.4, 20.3, 20.4; attends universities, 1.6, 10.4; visits to London, 1.7, 13.5, 14.2; wanderlust and restlessness (‘maladie centrifuge’), 1.8, 3.4, 9.4, 11.4, 13.6, 14.3, 14.4, 15.3; studies finance and economics, 1.9; learns languages, 1.10; studies and practises mining and geology, 1.11; solitariness, 1.12, 6.3, 9.5, 20.5; travels in Europe, 1.13, 14.5; early scientific experiments and theories, 1.14, 2.4; meets Goethe in Jena and Weimar, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7; and perception of reality, 2.8; preoccupation with Kant, 2.9; and subjective understanding of nature, 2.10, 2.11; and mother’s death, 3.5, 3.6; preparations for travelling expedition, 3.7; attends séances, 3.8; leaves Spain on first expedition, 3.9; Spanish passport, 3.10, 3.11; reaches Venezuela, 3.12; working method in Latin America, 4.1; pictured, 4.2, 9.6; experiences earthquake in Cumaná, 4.3, 17.2; expedition to Casiquiare river, 4.4; on human effect on environment, 4.5, 23.2; sends specimens from South America to Europe, 6.4; letters home from travels, 6.5, 6.6; sense of loneliness in Andes, 6.7; infatuations and attachments to male friends, 6.8; endures hurricane at sea, 8.2; meets Jefferson, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5; rapid speech and garrulity, 8.6, 9.7, 11.5, 13.7, 14.6, 18.5, 18.6, 18.7; condemns slavery, 8.7, 12.5, 17.3, 20.6; returns to Paris (1804), 9.8; lectures at Académie des Sciences, 9.9; meets Bolívar, 9.10, 9.11; visits Italy with Gay-Lussac, 9.12; writings, 9.13, 10.5, 10.6, 11.6, 23.3; granted Prussian pension, 10.7, 14.7; visits Berlin (1805–6), 10.8; on plant distribution, 10.9 &n, 10.10, 17.4, 23.4; settles in Paris (1807–27), 10.11, 11.7, 11.8; correspondence, 11.9, 20.7, 20.8, 20.9; relations with Arago, 11.10; accused of francophilia, 11.11; on Latin American politics, 12.6; praises Bolívar as liberator, 12.7; attacks Buffon, 12.8; plans expedition to India and Asia, 13.8, 13.9, 13.10, 14.8, 15.4; relations with brother Wilhelm, 13.11, 15.5, 18.8; influence on British romantic writers, 13.12; influence on Darwin, 13.13, 17.5, 17.6, 17.7, 17.8, 18.9, 20.10; Asian expedition financed by Friedrich Wilhelm III, 14.9; visits Aachen (Aix-la-Chapelle), 14.10; financial problems and debts, 14.11, 14.12, 20.11; generosity to young scientists, 14.13, 20.12; near-paralysis in right arm, 14.14; moves to Berlin (1827), 14.15, 15.6; inspects Brunels’ Thames tunnel, 14.16; court duties in Berlin, 15.7, 18.10; social and educational reforms in Berlin, 15.8; and Prussian political situation, 15.9; lectures in Berlin, 15.10; withdraws from political engagement, 15.11; lecture notes, 194–5; organizes Berlin scientific conference (1828), 15.12; renews friendship with Goethe, 15.13; on creation and development of earth, 15.14; travels in Russia, 16.3; finds diamonds in Russia, 16.4; sixtieth birthday, 16.5; idolized in Russia, 16.6; escapes injury in carriage accident, 16.7; returns part of Russian travel expenses, 16.8; Darwin sends copy of The Voyage of the Beagle

to, 17.9; fame and reputation in Berlin, 18.11; drowns out pianist with talk, 18.12; humility and readiness to learn, 18.13; qualities and character, 18.14; annual visits to Paris from Berlin, 18.15, 18.16; grief at brother Wilhelm’s death, 18.17; life and routine in Berlin, 18.18; meets Darwin in London, 18.19; never reads Darwin’s

Origin of Species

, 18.20; Hooker meets in Paris, 18.21; in 1848 revolution, 20.13; and failed German unification, 20.14; fame and visitors in old age, 20.15; handwriting, 20.16; international celebrity, 20.17; interest in technologies, 20.18; old age in Berlin, 20.19; facility in languages, 20.20; survives stroke, 20.21; death and funeral, 20.22; obituaries and tributes, 20.23; posthumous reputation, 20.24, bm1.1; warns against irrigating Llanos, 21.1; on debarking cinchona trees, 21.2; Marsh praises, 21.3; Haeckel admires, 22.1; walking, 23.5; Muir reads and idealizes, 23.6, 23.7, 23.8; achievements, bm1.2