George Perkins Marsh

George Perkins Marsh ( born March 15, 1801 in Woodstock, Windsor County, Vermont; † July 23, 1882 in Vallombrosa, Italy) was an American statesman and author.

He was born in Woodstock, Vermont, the son of a prominent family; His father Charles was federal prosecutor in Vermont and later sat for the state in the U.S. House of Representatives. Marsh left the Dartmouth College in 1820 with highest honors and honed his skills laws in Burlington. In 1835 he was elected to the Supreme Council of the State of Vermont. From 1842 to 1849 he participated as a member of the Whigs as before his father a seat in Congress, and then became the ambassador in Constantinople Opel appointed. In 1852 he went on a special mission to Greece, returned in 1854 after a major tour of Europe to his home and took over in 1861 the legation guard at the Italian court of Rome, which he held until 1882.

One of his passions was of comparative linguistics. So he already translated in 1838 Rasks " Icelandic grammar ". His collected works were published in 1882 in three volumes. In addition, he is regarded as one of the first advocates of environmental protection in the United States. His call for the conservation of natural forests has led to the installation of the Adirondack State Park.

Marsh died on 23 July 1882 in Vallombrosa, and was buried in Rome.

Writings

• A Compendious Grammar of the Old Northern or Icelandic Language ( 1838)
• Lectures on the English language (1861 )
• The origin and history of the English language (1862 )
• Man and nature (1862 )
• The earth as modified by human action (1874 )