KLAPROTH, kl:ip/r6t, HEINRICH JULIUS (1783-1835). A German Oriental scholar and traveler, born in Berlin. Mine yet in the gym nasium, at the age of fourteen, he began the study of the Chinese language, a task then ren dered particularly difficult by inadequate ma terial. In 1804 he was appointed by the Saint Petersburg Academy an adjunct in Oriental lan guages anal literatures. In the year following, under commission the academy, he accom panied a special embassy to China. and during a two years' absence amassed a great quantity of material for Chinese studies, including important vocabularies and extensive observations of usages and customs. A journey to Georgia and the Caucasus region was accomplished for the acad emy in 1S07-09. From 1811 to 1514 he lived in Berlin. and after being dismissed from his post in Russia, lie went in IS15 to Paris. Through the instrumentality of Wilhelm von Humboldt, he was appointed by Frederick Willians III. of
Prussia a professor of .\siatie languages and literatures (with residence at Paris), and was also financially aided hy the King in the publica tion of his works. They include: ncixe in den Kaukasus und ?web Gforgien (2 vole., 1812-14): Geographisch-ltistori.sche Beschrcibung dcs ostlid Itaukasus (1S1-1); Asia Polyglot to Tableaux historiqucs de 'Asir (1823); Collection d'untiguitis egyptiennes (1829) : and .1 perca iff'iu'rrit des feeds royaumes (1833). the last valuable for the study of Japanese history. His Lettee ci JI. lc Baron .1. fle II ninboldt sur lion de la bussole was edited by \Vittstein zig. 1885). Consult: Landresse, Notice sue .11.
lapeoth (in Vol. xvi. of the „Volt veal) Journal .1 sit' ague. Paris, 1835). and Larenaudiere, No tice sue Klaproth (tome iv.. Nouvelles Annales des Paris, 1835).