Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-02-19
BAYARp rAYLoR AND nuMnoLnr.


BAYARD TAYLOR AND HUMBOLDT.
On his way northward Taylor has passed
through Berlin and called on Alexander Won
Humboldt, ''the worlds greatest living man,
as he enthusiastically defines him. His letter
to the Tribune, describing his visit, is striking
" interesting. 1t appears that it is exceeding
" difficult to gain access to the venerable
''monarchin the world Of science,'' his renown
and his great age together making it necessary
to hedge in his privacy rather strictly; but Tay-
lor followed the advice of some friends, and
wrote to hin-thus gaining admission at once.
Most of our readers will probably have seen the
whole interesting description of this visit but.
Tor those who have not, we must copy the por-
trait of Humboldt "While in Berlin he lives
with Ills servant, Scifert, whose name only |
found on tho door. II was n plain two-storv
house, with dull pink 'front.' and inhabited,
like most of the houses in German cities, by
two or three families. The bell-wire over Sci
fert's name came from the second story.
pullcd' the heavy porte-COchere opened of itself,
and mounted the steps until reached n sec
ond bell-pull over u plate inscribed, alexander
Won Humboldt - sESeifert went Il,
an inner door, announced my name, and Hum
boldt Immediately appeared. lie came up to
me with heartiness and cordially which made
me feel that was in the presence of u friend,
gave me his hand, and inquired whether WI
should converse in English or German. tYour
letter said he. swas that Of a German and voi,
must certainly speak the language flmiarly;
but am also in the constant habit of using
English" lie insisted on my taking one end
of the green Sofa, observing that he rarely sat
upon it himself, then drew up plain cane hot
toned chair, and seated himself beside If ask
ing me to sneak little lollderthan usual, as hi4
hearing was NOT so ucufe ms fo,ncrIv AL
looked at the maieStic old man the line ot
TcnnysOu descriiing Wcilingtnr came into ,n,,
mind
90, good gray head, Which all men know,
The first imprcssion made by uunboldt,s facc
is that of Il broad and renial humanifv His
massive brow, heavy with the gathered wisdom
Of nearly century, bends forward and over
hangs his breast like Il ripe ear Of corn. but nc
YOU look below it, pairOf clear blue eyes
almost as bright alld steady rs cnlfd'g Invr6
your own. In those eyes you read that trust in
man, that immortal youth Of the heart, which
make the SHOWS of eighty-seven winters lie 50
lightly upon his head. You trust him utterly
at the first glance, and you feel that he will
trust you. II y@li are worthy Of it. | had ap-
proacheu INN with natural feeling of rever-
ence, but IN 1--WE minutes found that | loved
him, and could talk with him rs freely as with
u friend OF my own age. His nose, mouth and
chin have the heavy Tentonc character, whose
genuine type always expresses an honest sim
surprised by the youthful character of his face
Knew that he had been frequently indisposed
during the present wear, and had becn told that
nc was beginning to show the marks of his OK
IRENE age; nut should not have suspected him
OF being over Seventy-tivc. His wrinkles are
rev and small, and his skin has smoothness
and delcacy rarely seen in old mon. His hair,
although snow-white, is still abundant, his step
SLOW but firm, and his manner active almost to
resteSSness. lie sleeps but four hours out OF
inc twenly-inur, reads ana replies to his daily
rain OF letters, and suffers no single occurrence
OF the least interest In any part of the world to
escape ms attention. could not perceive that
his memory, the first mental faculty to show de-
cay, is AT all impaired. He talks rapidly, with
the greatest apparent ease, never hesitating for
IL word, whether in English or German, and in
fact, seemed unconscious which language lie
was using, as he changed five orsiN times in the
course OF the conversation. He did not remain
in his chair more than ten minutes at time
frequently getting up and walking about the
room, now and then pointing to a picture or
opening book to Illustrate some remark
6 You have travelled much, and seen
many ruins, said Humboldt, as he gave me his
hand again; tnow you have seen one more.
Not ruin | could'not help replying, but a
pyramid. For pressed the hand which had
touched those of Frederick the Great, of For
inc the War,hals of thc Fmnro , I}i;,rs, noI9m-
iIton WirnnG IInrer Gao,Ia "st'+ts"H, E nam,
Place. tiay-Lussac. Beetboyen' Wo,ter Scott +"
in short, Of every great man whom Fnronc bs,
mrodnccd for thrca9anartnrs " "'O' au."pu mas
looked into the eyes which had not only seen
ms llNlng history OF the world pass by, scene
alter scene, TIL the actors retired, one by ono,
10 return no more, but had beheld the cataract
t,himborazo, the Amazon and pnnooata'ddI w.,
Altaan Alps of Siberia. the Tartar stsnnss mi
~ C,ai Sa SnI w a. tai stell!es anu
HNperene" wen hehts life Of such generous
MeNolion 70 science. ! nave never seen SO sub
~ ~ w nservLomheu win I'M,
nlu s"eeseneu i, y me I'o"lest a''rinl'es q the
heait' @ = run ,, ,l'.'eeu N% ~ human temple
/ -. ~, "tlN"'' ~ '"io
g''rr' @ ','"t ioF Is Ton,l 10 hapilhd, ana