Ernst H. Tölken

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Heinrich_Toelken

Ernst Heinrich Toelken (1 November 1786, Bremen – 16 March 1869) was a German archaeologist.

He was born to the Bremen businessman Heinrich Toelken. His father and mother taught him themselves in his early years, and Toelken especially emphasizes the religious and cultural education he gained from his mother, saying that "totam sese educationi meae addixit". Toelken lost his father early in life and was in later years raised by his grandfather, the businessman Ernst Trüper. Toelken went to several Bildungsanstalten and schools in his home town, including the "Rothen Waisenhauses", and then spent 1794-1802 at the "Pädagogium", studying in the top class and graduating with honours. Toelken next took the opportunity to continue his education privately, particularly in modern languages (French, English and Italian or, in his words, "Galliam, Anglicam et Italieam"), which he studied under several teachers. Because at that time not all public schools taught ancient Greek, Toelken decided to teach himself itand so taught himself using material otherwise way beyond a beginner. In his mathematical inclinations, he was supported by Dr. G. R. Treviranus, who taught him the principles of spherical trigonometry.