KLAPROTH, JULIUS HEINRICH VON, one of the most eminent Oriental scholars of modern times, was born at Berlin, on the 11th of October 1783, He was the son of the celebrated chemist Klaproth [KLAPROTII, MARTIN 11.], who wished to bring him up to his own profession, but the boy was little inclined to it, and employed most of his time on other pursuits unknown to his father. He was about fifteen when, during a public examination of the pupils of the college in Berlin where he received his instruction, he was so backward that one of his examiners cried out indignantly, "Why, you know nothing at all." "Beg your pardon," answered young Klaproth, " I know Chinese." His answer was received with astonishment and distrust, but he immediately gave proofs of his having made great progress in that difficult language, and he became henceforth an object of admira tion to all who had an opportunity of witnessing his extraordinary talents. He had learned Chinese secretly without the help of a master, and, according to his own saying, he first began it in 1797, after he had found out a small and incomplete, but nevertheless valuable collection of Chinese books in the public library at Berlin. His father soon became reconciled to the pursuits of his son, but perceiving that he devoted his time exclusively to Oriental languages, he sent him, in 1801, to the University of Halle, with a strict injunction to study the classical languages.
Klaproth remained several years at Halle, and in 1802 published the first number of his 'Asiatisches Magazin.' The learned Count Johu Potocki having heard of Klaproth, hastened to make his acquaint ance, and was so struck with him that he immediately proposed to him to enter the service of the Emperor Alexander of Russia. Klaproth accepted the proposition, and the count being in great favour with the czar, Klaproth was formally invited to settle in Russia. Upon his arrival at St. Petersburg. early in 1805, the Academy of Sciences pro sented him with a diploma of Adjunctus, for the Eastern languages and literature, and the Russian government being then engaged with the plan of sending an embassy to China, Count Potocki obtained for Klaproth the place of an interpreter. Klaproth actually got his com mission before the appointment of an ambassador. This honour was finally bestowed upon Count Golowkin, a vain and ambitious man ; and Count John Potocki was put at the head of a body of scholara who were to accompany the embassy. Klaproth set out alone, before the embassy was ready to undertake the journey, and after having traversed the Ural Mountains, and passed through Katherinenburg, Tobolsk, and Omsk, employing all his time in studying the country and its inhabitants, he finally arrived at Irkutzk, which was the place of meeting for all the members of the embassy. Count Golowkin and
his suite arrived soon after him, in October 1805, and after having been detained some time at Irkutzk and Kiakhta, tho embassy crossed the Chinese frontier ou the 1st of January 1806. They had scarcely proceeded a hundred and eighty miles when they were again detained, Count Golowkin having refused to submit to the Chinese court-cere monial, and after having remained a mouth in a miserable Mongol town, the count was informed that the court of Peking did not wish to see him. The embassy consequently returned to St Petersburg. Klap roth however did not accompany them, but took a solitary route through Southern Siberia, and only reached the Russian capital iu the beginning of 1807.
The information which he brought back to St. Petersburg was deemed so important, and his own abilities were so fully acknowledged, that before the end of the year he was sent on a scientific miasiou to the Caucasian provinces. He returned from this country in January 1809, with a largo stock of scientific and political knowledge, most of which afterwards formed the eubject of separate works and articles in learned periodicals. The Academy of St. Petersburg chose him an extraordinary member, and the emperor conferred upon him the title of Aulio councillor, and made him a knight of the order of Wladimir, an honour which placed him among the Russian nobility. However Klaproth had expected still greater distinctions, and tho Russian government having secretly put a stop to his intended publication of his journey through the Caucasus, he began to feel uneasy iu Russia. He nevertheless prolonged his sojourn in Russia, and was active in establishing a school of Oriental languages at Wilna, and in making a descriptive catalogue of the Chinese and Mandsbu manuscripts iu the imperial library at St. Petersburg. He was sent, in 1811, to Berlin, for the purpose of superintending the engraving of the characters which were intended for printing those manuscripts. In 1812 be tendered his resignation to the Russian government, and after a consi derable time received his dismission, with the remark that by soliciting permission to retire he had forfeited all his civic and scientific titles and privileges in Russia. In St. Petersburg however there were strange rumours afloat as to the real cause of his disgrace, and it was said there, and afterwards repeated in foreign countries, that his love of rare manuscripts and hooks went beyond mere scientific attachment.