Forster. I. Johann Reinliold, a German traveller and naturalist, born in Dirschau, , Prussia, Oct. 22, 1729, died in Halle, Dec. 9, 1798. He was descended from an exiled Scottish border family, was educated at Halle and Dantzic for the clerical profession, and in 1753 became pastor at Nassenhuben, near Dantzic, but devoted himself especially to the study of mathematics, philosophy, and geography. In 1765 he went with his son Johann Georg as an agent of the Russian government to investigate the condition of the colony at Saratov in southern Russia, and in the following year repaired to London. He was for a time professor of natural history and of the French and German languages at Warrington, in Lancashire, and in 1772 accompanied Capt. Cook on his second voyage to the south seas, being engaged as naturalist of the expedition. After his return he published his botanical observations in a special work (London, 1776), and also "Observations made during a Voyage round the World on Physical Geography, Natural History, and Ethic Philosophy (London, 1778). In 1780 he was appointed professor of natural history at Halle, an office which he retained till his death, He spoke and wrote 17 languages, and was familiar with general and especially with classical literature.

Among his works, besides those above mentioned, are: Liber Singularis de Bysso Antiquorum (London, 1776); Zoologia Indica (Halle, 1781); Beobachtungen und Wahrheiten (Berlin, 1798); and Geschiehte der Entdeckungen und Schiff-fahrten im Norden (Frankfort, 1784). The last was translated into English (London, 1786), and contains much useful information and ingenious conjecture, together with many ill-natured reflections, particularly on the English.

II. Johann Georg Adam, eldest son of the preceding, a German traveller and naturalist, born at Nassenhuben, Nov. 26, 1754, died in Paris, Jan. 12, 1794. After accompanying his father to Saratov, he studied nearly a year in St. Petersburg, and went thence to England, where he gave instruction in French and German, and translated several works into English. He went with Cook on his second voyage round the world, a narrative of which he published after his return, receiving scientific notes for it from his father, and thus eluding the agreement by which the elder Forster was vir-tually prohibited from publishing a narrative. After residing in Paris and Holland, he was for six years professor of natural history in Cassel, whence in 1784 he passed to the same professorship in Wilna. He was appointed historiographer to an expedition round the world under the patronage of Catharine II. of Russia, but the project was thwarted by the Turkish war. He became in 1788 librarian to the elector of Mentz. In 1790 he accompanied Alexander von Humboldt to England, France, and the Netherlands; and Humboldt calls him his "celebrated teacher and friend, who has most vigorously and successfully opened the path in German literature of the scientific study of nature." In 1792, on the occupation of Mentz by the French, he engaged actively in support of republican principles, and in 1793 was sent to Paris as agent of the city to solicit its incorporation with France. After its recapture by the Prussians, Forster lost all his property, his books, and his manuscripts, and resolved to go to India, but died while studying the oriental languages in Paris. Besides numerous translations, his most important works are on subjects of natural history and ethnology, as Kleine Schriften, ein Beitrag zur Lander- und Volkerl'unde, Naturgeschiehte und Philosophie des Lebens (6 vols., Berlin, 1789-'97), and Ansichten vom Niederrhein, ton Brabant, Flandern Holland, England und Frank-reieh (3 vols., Berlin, 1791-'4). He was the first to translate into German the Sakuntala of Kalidasa. His widow, the daughter of Heyne, afterward known as Therese Huber, published a collection of his letters (2 vols., Leipsic, 1828-'9). His complete works were edited by his daughter, with a critical notice by Gervinus (9 vols., Leipsic, 1843-'4).