(Born: Neu-Brandenburg, Mecklenb.-Strelitz, Germany, 15 December 1732; Died: Halle, Germany, 17 April 1787) German mathematician.

Wenceslaus was father of the noted mineralogist Diedrich Ludwig Gustav Karsten. He was a well regarded professor of Mathematics at the Universities of Rostock and Halle.

Biographical references: ADB: 15, 430-31. • Drugulin, Sechstausend Portraits, 1863: nos. 2888-9. • NDB: 11, 304a [see notes under D.L.G. Karsten]. • Poggendorff: 1, cols. 1224-5.

1. German, 1785.
Des Horfaths und Professors des Mathematik und Naturlehre in Halle Wencesl. Joh. Gustav Karstens Kurzer Entwurf der Naturwissenschaft: vornehmlich ihres chymisch-mineralogischen Theils mit kupfern. Halle im Magdeburgischen, In der Rengerschen Buchhandlung, 1785.

8°: [16], 554, [6] p., 4 folding hand-colored plates, illus.

Very scarce. Karsten's text books had in their day a good reputation. In this draft of the natural sciences was conceived by him to accompany his lectures. In it he emphasises mineralogy from the chemical viewpoint.

Bibliographical references: LKG: XII 109.

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