The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-08-06
rMBOLDT.
ALEXANDER

Seeing few days since an original picture
of this distinguished gentleman recently taken for
one of our citizens called to recollection the following
description of him recently published in the Boston
Transcript, copied from an account by Max Ring
The world owes much to Humboldt for his scientific
explorations when young, of large portions of this
continent and the northern part OF South America,
and the regions of the ishmus, often called Central
America The facts then collected by him, and the
observations and reflections thus early made, have,
in later times been confirmed by of science and
observation as being remarkably accurate and just.
The labors performed and hardships endured in his
explorations were tributes voluntarily made to sci
ence and knowledge by one whose life has been de-
voted to their service 1t is gratifying to his
perior merits appreciated and rewarded by his
trymen, while the civilized world is bearing ample
testimony to his claims to high distinction of
science, an observing traveller and philosopher, as
well as gentleman of extraordinary personal worth
Humbodts figure is not large but is rather stout
his feet and hands small and of beautiful form His
silver white hair surrounds the venerable head he
the high large forehead the mark of genius His
are blue and Notwithstanding his advanced age full
of expression and life. His nefomed lips reveal par
ticular SMILE half sarcastic half benevolent full of spr
itual supremacy,
"Whie speaking he sits forward his eyes cast to the
ground from time time he lifts his head friendly
smiling, thus animating the listener Conversing with
him, you forget entirely that the celebrated has
passed already his S7th year. juvenile fresh and
citing his words flowing in wonderful change ming
ling humor with instruction He is, in the truest
and fullest meaning Of the word the best narrator the
clearest orator, the world knows An immense amount
of knowledge is always at his CONTROL and potyhstand
Ing his great age you cannot perceive the least failure
his memory He probably has equal. Facts names,
and figures escape his memory and he remembers
often with the same tenacity the smallest affairs the
greatest and most valuable facts.
1.-The principal feature of his whole being is hui
manty for Others which almost reaches self forgeuness
IL is only known to his most intimate friends that Hum
boldt spends the greatest part of his income for charity
and in aiding the support of young and aspiring students
His private property is not very considerable but he
ceves from the King of Prussia large salary for his po-
sition at the court and besides this corresponding
is paid him by Cote the publisher of his works BY the
sufficient but would allow him to lay up something but
Humboldt thinks to make better of IL by changing
the fate of some unfortunate young man.
"The influence which he has with the King he for
The promotion Of science There Ia person of talent
no Juvenile genius who is not noticed by him Far away
from any envy and nheared jealousy he procures for
mertorous scholars not only the necessary respect but
also employment, Offices, and honor of every kind.
It may be interesting to learn how this great natur-
as spends has ple. Humboldt rises at about halfp
eight clock at breakfast he reads his letters which he
generally answers Inere no
letter writer puncual he though very few persons
have largo correspondence to all parts of the world
After this he dresses with the aid of his udia dc cane
receive and visitors to make visits himself
until o'clock IT o'clock he goes to the royal palace
where he generally Dimes We does not invite himself to
dine with family of his Acquaintance He remains
mostly at Alexander Mendelssohn's In whose house he
lives Att clock in the evening he usually returns to
his home He then goes to the court in society from
which he returns at about midnight. Now is his real
and best time for working in the profound nightly
silence be writes his immortal works, often, in summer
until the day shines through the windows 1t is Away,
8 O'Clock in the morning when this Juvenile old man
thinks OF allowing short rest TO his aost ninety
old body to gain the necessary for the new day
work. IL is indeed, think, strange story and still
| every word of it is true.
Humboldt has family of his own his nearest re-
| lations keipg the and daughters of his excellent
brother, William for whom he has touching fatcrna
regard You should have known my brother, says he
with amiable modesty he always the most taentet
OF MS two brothers Humboldt is animated from rea
antique feeling of friendship his benevolenco and zeal Il
serve Others are in our selfish egos times really ad
m;rable, and almost without parallel. Through hi
many connexions with the principal persons of all coun
tries he became in the test sense the intellectual me
dun o. our present European culture and Of every ien
tinc improvement