Nathanael Gottfried Leske

Nathanael Gottfried Leske ( Upper Sorbian Nathanael Bohuměr Lesko, born October 22, 1751 Muskau, † November 25, 1786 in Marburg ) was a naturalist and geologist Sorbian origin.

After studying at the Mining Academy Freiberg and the Francke Foundations in Halle ( Saale ) received Leske 1775, first as an associate professor of natural history at the University of Leipzig. From 1777 to 1786 he taught economics at this university. He made ​​numerous research trips through the Upper Lusatia. In his reports, he described in detail the often agricultural conditions. 1786, he was appointed Professor of Finance and Economics at the University of Marburg, but could his office not compete there. On arrival in Marburg he had an accident and died shortly thereafter.

Leske association with his teacher Abraham Gottlob Werner, a very friendly relationship and stood with him in lively correspondence, as with Goethe. He was also a close friend of the agricultural reformer Johann Christian Schubart and encouraged this to many agricultural treatises. Leske had a large collection of minerals, which was ordered by his death by Dietrich Ludwig Gustav Karsten and later sold to Dublin.

Major works

  • Foundations of Natural History. Publisher Crusius of Leipzig in 1779; 2 verb. u Securities Value Edition with 12 copper plates ibid. 1784th
  • Travel through Saxony in consideration of the natural history and economy. Müller Verlag Leipzig in 1785.
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