Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1850-04-03
HUMBOLDT,

HumOOIut Is Inc great attraction wherever
he goes. In spite Of his four-score years
lie looks as hale and hearty and is as cheer
full as youth of eighteen. He has the
kindest, most benevolent countenance. the
mldesl blue eyes and most gentle manners
imag Unable; and as to his conversation. il
is eloquence distilled, flowing smoothly and
INCREASINGLY, charming all to whom he ad-
dresses himself, causing them to wonder
how the mind of one man could grasp and
retain such universal knowledge. j was
surprised To learn that it was not until he
was thirty years Of age that he really COM
menced his travels bu, he had been prepar-
ing himse II since boy hood, and started forth
a geologis,, mineralogist, botanist, anatomist
and linguist. He travelled under the most
favorable circumstances, being personally
very easy in money matters, and being aid
ed wherever Ire went by the different govern
sments and scientific men. Without this he
could not have acquired all the knowledge
he possesses. Many Of your readers are
familiar with his travels, but do they know
how he has ,oiIed and labored TO give his
fellow men the benef, of those travels p
We talk of prolific writer's, but none will
besT mentioning by the side Of Humboldt.
Some idea of what he has done may be OBJ
aaIned by the fact that one set q do not
mean one edilion) alone Of his works costs
ten thousand dollars A space Of two yards
long in his library is occupied by his works
on Botany-aii foiios, and written in La
sin. He speaks, understands and writes per-
fec,ly the English, French, Spanish, Italian.
Portuguese, Sanscript and German, besides
having partial knowledge of~all other Ian
gusges. He never sleeps more than four
hours, and says that from boyhood he never
required more. All the works he has done.
all that ten thousand dollars worth Of writ
ing has been done at night, between the
hours Of eleven and three he never works
at any other time. fIe is the intimate and
beloved friend Of the King, and for several
years past has resided in the palace AT
Potsdam and Berlin his handsome suite of
apartments are near the King.
As before said, he goes TO bed at three
O'Clock in the morning in winter, and two
in summer, rises a, six or seven, takes q
perfectly cold bath, then his coffee, and
employs the remainder of,he day, until din
ner time an reading and answering the let
tiers he receives. say the remainder Of
the day, bu. he always reserves two hours,
from twelve to two, receiving his friends;
but with that exception he does nothing
but attend to his correspondence. He says
he receives, on an average, between two
and three hundred thousand letters year,
and to nearly all Of them he sends replies
lie gets letters from all parts Of the globe
and from the most remote corners. His
evenings are always spent with The King,
an mis- Majesty's private apartments; and
shns his life passes, caImly and peaceably :;
and while engaged in the purest and m osl
elevated Of all enjoyments, that ofimparting
TO Others portions of The great stock ofknow-
aedge he possesses, he patiently waits for
abe time when he shall be called from the
earth he has studied SO deeply.
A scientific society never holds a meeting
here without receiving some valuable COM
munica.ion from Humboldt, and it is al
ways something new, something which he
seems to have reserved for that especial oc-
casion, and never to have given to the world
before. He says he still studies as diigen,-
ly as he did fifty years ago,-and he does
no, feel his thirs, for knowledge at all dr.
minished.-Boston Erening Gazette.
THE UNITY OF THE HUMAN RACE