Profession: educational reformer

Pestalozzi was both friend and follower of Lavater, probably met while studying at university in Zürich; both were among the group of progressive thinkers gathered around their influential teacher Bodmer, and who met regularly in the house of the father of another member, Fuseli (who helped Pestalozzi write a paper). The influential Iselin gave crucial support in a period of little encouragement. Owen, Edgeworth, Froebel, Ritter and Maclure visited to see his theories in action. Fichte became a close friend and urged him to write up his ‘Inquiry’: Neef, one of his assistants, helped transplant his ideas to America.