A Scientist's Mind, A Poet's Soul — The New Atlantis
The presiding scientific genius of the Romantic age, when science had not yet been dispersed into specialties that rarely connect with one another, Alexander von Humboldt wanted to know everything, and came closer than any of his contemporaries to doing so. Except for Aristotle, no scientist before or since this German polymath can boast an intellect as universal in reach as his and as influential for the salient work of his time. His neglect today is unfortunate but instructive. Humboldt (1769–1859) undertook to disseminate the knowledge he acquired as rapidly and widely as possible, and i...
Source: thenewatlantis.com