The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt's New World

“As he wandered among colourful sugar maples and stately white oaks, Alexander experienced nature as calming and soothing.”

This quote illustrates Humboldt’s early and intimate connection with nature, which played a crucial role in his development as a naturalist. The imagery of Humboldt’s solitary walks through the American trees planted at Tegel encapsulates his burgeoning passion for the natural world. Wulf often uses multiple adjectives to describe one object to reflect Humboldt’s vivid sense of nature.

“For the previous two centuries western society had been dominated by the idea that nature functioned like a complex apparatus—a ‘great and complicated Machine of the Universe’, as one scientist had said.”

This passage provides insight into the prevailing scientific worldview before Humboldt’s influence, whereby nature was seen primarily through a mechanistic lens. It sets the stage for understanding the revolutionary nature of Humboldt’s holistic view of the interconnectedness of the natural world, marking a significant shift from viewing nature as a machine to seeing it as a dynamic, interdependent system. This context underscores the paradigm shift Humboldt’s ideas represented in the scientific community of his time.

“In eight days of reading books, one couldn’t learn as much as what he gives you in an hour,’ Goethe said.”

This quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe underscores Humboldt’s remarkable ability to synthesize and communicate complex scientific knowledge effectively. Wulf quotes from figures whom Humboldt influenced to convey The Collaborative Nature of Intellectual Endeavors. It highlights Humboldt’s impact on his contemporaries, portraying him not just as a gatherer of data but as a dynamic collaborator, thereby emphasizing his role as a pivotal figure in scientific discourse.

“The landscape held a spell over him, Humboldt said. The palm trees were ornamented with magnificent red blossoms, the birds and fish seemed to compete in their kaleidoscopic hues, and even the crayfish were sky blue and yellow.”

This quote encapsulates Humboldt’s awe and fascination with the vibrant and diverse ecosystems of South America. It reflects his deep appreciation for nature’s beauty, highlighting his emotional response alongside his scientific curiosity. This poetic description of nature reflects Humboldt’s approach to naturalism, whereby aesthetic appreciation complements scientific inquiry.

“Unlike other naturalists, Humboldt was not interested in filling taxonomic gaps—he was collecting ideas rather than just natural history objects, he said.”

Here, Wulf distinguishes Humboldt from his contemporaries by emphasizing his holistic approach to science. Rather than focusing solely on classification, Humboldt sought to understand the interconnectedness of nature. This quote exemplifies one of Wulf’s aims in the biography to highlight Humboldt’s singularity among his contemporaries despite his lack of recognition in modern thought.

“All ‘flow forth from one source,’ he wrote, and ‘all melt together in an eternal, all-encompassing power.’”

This quote underscores Humboldt’s holistic view of natural phenomena, where diverse natural forces are seen as interconnected parts of a unified whole. The poetic language used here elevates the scientific observation to a metaphysical level, suggesting Humboldt’s ability to connect empirical data with broader philosophical insights. This synthesis of observation and reflection is key to understanding his revolutionary approach to the natural sciences.

“The more obstacles that were thrown into his path, ‘the more I hastened their executions.’”

Wulf’s quotation of Humboldt reflects his determination to pursue his scientific endeavors, despite the logistical and practical challenges he faced. This quote exemplifies Humboldt’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and adventure. The word “executions” is a violent metaphor that highlights his relentless approach to overcoming challenges.

“‘Nature is a living whole,’ he later said, not a ‘dead aggregate.’ One single life had been poured over stones, plants, animals, and humankind.”

Humboldt’s realization comes after observing the interconnected ecosystems from the heights of Chimborazo, allowing him to see the big picture of ecological interdependence. This passage encapsulates Humboldt’s revolutionary view of nature as an interconnected and dynamic system, rather than a mere collection of categorized parts. Wulf’s use of the imagery “poured over” connotes a sense of unity and continuity, reinforcing Humboldt’s idea that every element of nature is part of a larger, living whole.

“For five long years, Humboldt had seen nature at its best—lush, magnificent and awe-inspiring—and now he wanted to see civilization in all its glory, a society built as a republic and on the principles of liberty.”

This quote captures Humboldt’s transition from exploring natural environments to engaging with political and social structures, specifically his desire to meet Thomas Jefferson. This quote bridges natural exploration and political ideology, illustrating Humboldt’s holistic approach to understanding the world. The juxtaposition of “nature at its best” and “civilization in all its glory” reflects Humboldt’s intellectual curiosity and his belief in the interconnectedness of the natural world and human society. Wulf uses grandiose language of “magnificent” and “glory” to convey the high stakes of Humboldt’s aims.

“‘Nature is the domain of liberty,’ Humboldt said, because nature’s balance was created by diversity which might in turn be taken as a blueprint for political and moral truth.”

Wulf explores Humboldt’s bridging of the realms of natural science and social philosophy. She hence showcases Humboldt’s forward-thinking approach, advocating for a society that mirrors the harmonious diversity of the natural world, an idea that aligns closely with modern ecological and social sustainability concepts.

“As soon as he came, he was ready to leave. How was he to work here and find enough like-minded scientists?”

This quote reflects Humboldt’s immediate dissatisfaction upon arriving in Berlin, contrasting sharply with his experiences in scientifically vibrant cities like Paris. Wulf juxtaposes the words “came” and “leave” within one sentence to capture the pace with which Humboldt decided against Berlin. Her use of a rhetorical question aims to prompt the reader to think, reflecting Humboldt’s own intellectual vigor and curiosity.

“‘Nature and art are closely united in my work,’ Humboldt wrote in a note when he dispatched the book with a Prussian courier to Goethe in Weimar on 3 January 1810.”

This statement was part of Humboldt’s commentary on his work, Vues des Cordilléres et monumens des peuples indigenes de l’Amérique, an illustrated publication that combined scientific exploration with artistic representation. Humboldt’s remark underscores his interdisciplinary approach, blending scientific rigor with aesthetic appreciation. Wulf includes granular details such as couriers in the text to aim for verisimilitude and hence paint a clearer picture of Humboldt’s world.

“‘With his pen’ Humboldt had awakened South America, Bolívar later said, and had illustrated why South Americans had many reasons to be proud of their continent.”

Here, Bolívar credits Humboldt with inspiring a sense of pride and identity among South Americans. Humboldt’s detailed descriptions and scientific observations of the continent catalyzed political and social change, providing a foundation for Bolívar’s revolutionary ideals and reinforcing the intrinsic value of their homeland. Wulf includes this narrative to highlight the global reach of Humboldt’s ideas.

“Knowledge could not be gained from books alone, Humboldt believed. To understand the world, a scientist had to be in nature—to feel and experience it.”

This quote highlights The Role of Exploration in Advancing Scientific Knowledge, contrasting the theoretical knowledge gained from books with the empirical understanding derived from direct interaction with nature. Humboldt’s assertion emphasizes the importance of experiential learning and direct observation in the scientific process. This belief not only underscores the romantic notion of exploration and adventure but also challenges the academic norms of his time.

“After more than a decade of cajoling and pleading, India finally seemed to be within his reach.”

This statement highlights the lengthy and often frustrating process Humboldt endured to pursue his scientific interests, showcasing his perseverance and dedication to expanding human knowledge. The phrase “cajoling and pleading” underscores the difficulties faced by even the most renowned scientists of the time in gaining support for their explorations, illustrating the complex dynamics between scientific endeavor and institutional gatekeeping.

“He knew that his life would never be the same. From now on much of his day would belong to the ‘tedious, restless life at Court.’”

This quote reflects the dramatic shift in Humboldt’s daily life as he transitions from a life of exploration and scientific inquiry to one dominated by obligations at the Prussian court. The quote captures Humboldt’s resignation to a new phase of life that contrasts sharply with his past endeavors. The phrase “tedious, restless life at Court” suggests a sense of entrapment and highlights Humboldt’s internal conflict between his intellectual passions and societal expectations. This juxtaposition underscores the personal sacrifices often hidden behind the public achievements of renowned figures.

“With knowledge comes thought, and with thought comes power.”

Humboldt’s assertion acts as a reminder of the role education plays in societal advancement and personal empowerment. This statement rebukes the oppressive structures that limit free thought and expression, given the restrictive political and intellectual climate of Prussia at the time. It exemplifies Wulf’s broad approach to a scientific biography, as she explores political and ecological environments.

“Humboldt felt healthier than ever, strengthened by being outdoors for so long and by the excitement of their adventures.”

This quote captures Humboldt’s enduring passion for exploration and the invigorating effect that engaging with nature has on him. It serves as a contrast to the earlier part of his journey, where he felt constrained and monitored. Here, Humboldt reconnects with the core joys of his scientific pursuits. Wulf frequently explores her biographical subject intimately, highlighting what Humboldt “felt” as well as what he “thought,” thus aiming to portray a personal narrative within a scientific one.

“‘My admiration of his famous personal narrative (part of which I almost know by heart),’ Darwin said, ‘determined me to travel in distant countries, and led me to volunteer as naturalist in her Majesty’s ship Beagle.’”

This quote emphasizes the impact that one influential work can have on another’s life and career, illustrating The Collaborative Nature of Intellectual Endeavor. Wulf highlights Darwin’s acknowledgment of Humboldt’s narrative to underscore the connectivity between different generations of scientists. This connection spurred Darwin’s exploratory spirit, contributing to significant scientific theories.

“‘THE MAD FRENZY has seized me of representing in a single work the whole material world,’ Humboldt declared in October 1834. He wanted to write a book that would bring together everything in the heavens and on earth, ranging from distant nebulae to the geography of mosses, and from landscape painting to the migration of the human races and poetry.”

This quote is from Humboldt as he embarked on writing his masterwork, Cosmos. The quote highlights Humboldt’s pioneering approach to science, aiming to bridge various disciplines and phenomena into a unified understanding. Wulf reflects his ambition by juxtaposing grandiose examples of “heavens” and “earth” and “nebulae” and “mosses.”

“‘Facts collected by a poet are set down at last as winged seeds of truth,’ Thoreau later wrote. Walden was Thoreau’s answer to Cosmos.”

Thoreau views the poet’s role as transforming mere facts into profound truths, akin to seeds that can sprout into greater understanding. This metaphor highlights his belief in the power of poetic expression to elevate scientific observations to philosophical insights, thus enriching the human experience. Wulf presents his Walden as a response to Cosmos to integrate her portrayal of Humboldt into the more famous intellectual landscape of the time.

“Humboldt was the ‘greatest of the priesthood of nature’, Marsh said, because he had understood the world as an interplay between man and nature—a connection that would underpin Marsh’s own work because he was collecting material for a book that would explain how humankind was destroying the environment.”

This statement captures George Perkins Marsh’s admiration for Humboldt and sets the stage for Marsh’s own work, emphasizing the influence of Humboldt’s ideas on his understanding of environmental degradation. Wulf presents Humboldt’s work as part of a long chain of generations of thinkers on environmentalism, connecting his work directly with urgent modern ideas about climate change.

“‘How intensely I desire to be a Humboldt,’ Muir said, desperate to see the ‘snow-capped Andes & the flowers of the Equator.’”

This quote captures Muir’s ambition and reverence for Humboldt, positioning Humboldt as a model of exploration and scientific inquiry. It underscores the driving force behind Muir’s own explorations, highlighting his aspiration to blend scientific study with an appreciation for the natural world. Muir’s longing to experience the Andes and equatorial flora exemplifies the romantic and adventurous spirit that characterized early naturalists.