The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Buch, Leopold von
BUCH, booH, Leopold von, German
geologist: b. Stolpe, Prussia, 26 April 1774; d.
Berlin, 4 March 1853. He studied under the
celebrated Werner in the mining school of
Freiberg in Saxony, where Alexander von
Humboldt was his fellow-student, and early began
to distinguish himself by his geological
writings. His first works were ‘Descriptions of the
Mineralogy of Landeck,’ and ‘The Geognosy
of Silesia.’ Up to 1798 he had adopted the
Neptunian theory of Werner, with some modifications;
but now saw cause to abandon it, and to
recognize the volcanic origin of the basalts. He
saw Vesuvius for the first time in 1799; but
afterward, in 1805, had an opportunity, along
with Humboldt and Gay Lussac, of witnessing
its actual eruption. In 1802 he examined the
extinct volcanoes of Auvergne in the south of
France. The results of all these geological
travels were given to the world in a work
entitled ‘Observations During Travels in
Germany and Italy’ (1802-09). Indefatigable as
an observer, Von Buch turned his steps from
the south of France in 1806, and proceeding to
Scandinavia spent two years in examining its
physical constitution. This furnished the
materials for his well-known work entitled
‘Travels in Norway and Lapland.’ In 1815 he
visited the Canary Islands. These volcanic
isles furnished the starting point from which
Von Buch commenced a regular course of
study on the production and activity of
volcanoes. This is attested by his standard work
on the subject entitled ‘Physical Description of
the Canary Isles’ (1825). On his return from

the Canaries he visited the basaltic group of the
Hebrides and the coasts of Scotland and
Ireland. His geological excursions, even in
countries which he had repeatedly visited before,
continued without interruption at a very
advanced age, till within a few months of his
death. Alexander von Humboldt, who had
known him intimately for a period of more than
60 years, called him the greatest geologist of
our period. He was unmarried and lived aloof
from the world, entirely devoted to scientific
pursuits. Besides the works already mentioned
he was the author of many important tracts
on paleontology, as, ‘On the Ammonites’
(1832); ‘On the Terebratulæ’ (1834); ‘On the
Ceratites’ (1841); and ‘On the Cystidæ’
(1845). Another of his works not to be omitterd
is his ‘Geological Map of Germany.’