Forster Johann Georg

Forster, Johann Georg (1754-1794), a German naturalist and man of science, was bofn at Dantzig. In 1765 he went with his father to inspect some Russian colonies, but the father offended the Russian authorities, and they left Russia and came to England. Both father and son accompanied Captain Cook upon his third voyage. Johann was afterwards professor at Cassel, but appears to have had peculiar views both in politics and other matters. He afterwards went to Wilna, and then to Russia, finally settling down at Mayence as first librarian to the Elector. When the French Revolution broke out and the French entered Mayence, he was sent by the republicans of Mayence as a deputy to Paris. While he was away the city was retaken by the Prussians, and he' lost all his books, papers, and other property. He died in Paris. Among his writings were An Account of Cook's Voyage, Iravels in the Netherlands and the Rhine Land, besides essays on geography, philosophy, etc. He is considered a classic in Germany, and there is a great freshness about his style.