Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-02-05
WHOLE NO 96a.
Visit of Bayard Taylor to Hum
boldt.
CONVERSATION ABOUT COL. rRKsoyr-rHr
osrEKD hAx,yssro-wAsuIsGro IL
WING. &c


CONVERSATION ABOUT COL. rRKxoxr-rH
osrEKD hAx,yssTo-wAsurHGTo IL
WING. &c.
! Correspondence Of the N. Y. Tribune.
BrRLrS, Nov. rs. 1856.
L came to Berlin, not to visit its museums
and galleries, its magnificent street oil lin
dens, is operas and theatres, nor to rainel
| in the gay life os its streets and saloons, b.
FOR the s.ke Of seeing and speskine with tn
wosld's greatest living man-AIexsnder vo
Humboldf.
At presents xl,h his great age snd hi
unixeFsa scnoHD. regarded as a. throne,
monafch in the world Of science, his friend
have been obliged, perforce, TO protect hin
from the exhaustive homage of his thousand
of subjects. and, tor his own sake, to make
difficult the ways of access TO him. The
friend a-d familiar companion of tho King
he may be said, equally. to hold his owl
court, with the privilege, however, at any
time bresking through the form lities which
only self-defence has rendered necessary -
Some of my works. knew. found their way
into his hands: was at the beginning of 4
journey which would probably lead me thro
regions which his feet had traversed AM
his genius illustrated, and it was not merely
a na'ural curiosity which attracted me to
ward him. followed the advice of some
German friends, and made use Of no media.
tory influence, but simply dispatched nore
to MIN, s.aiing my name and object, and ask
ing for an interview.
Three days sfterward ] received througi
the city post, reply in his Own hand, sta
ting that, although he was suffering from I
cold which had followed his removal from
Potsdam to the capital, he would willingly
receive me, and appointed one o'clock to-
day tor the visit. was punctual to ths
minute. and reached his residence in the
Oranienburger- -strasse, as the clock struck
While in Berlin, he lives with his servant
Seifert, whose name only | found on
the door. IL was plain two story house
with dull pink front, and inhabited, like
most of the houses in German cities, by
two or three families. The bell wire over
Seifert's name came from the second story.
pulled: the heavy porte cochere opened sf it,
sell and mounted the steps until reached
a second bell-pull. over plate inscribed,
"Alexander Won Humboldt"
A stout, spare-faced man IF about fifty,
whom at once recognized as Seifert. open
ed the door for me. "Are you Herr Tay-
lor!" he asked; and added, on my reply
'His exceliency is ready tn receive you"
He ushered ne into room filled with stuff
ed birds and o'her objects ufnatural history;
then into large library, which apparently
the fts of authors, artists. and
men of science walked between two
long tables heap d with sumptuous folios.
10 the further door, which opeuad into the
study. Those wha have zen the admirable
af HildebrAnd's pic,arr, know
precisely i,.w the room looks. There was
the plain table, the writing desk covered
with papers and manuscripts, The little green
sofa, an the sam, maps and pictures on
the Grab-colored walls. The picture had
been So long hanging in my own r1em at
home. that at once recogni- d each Partic-
liar object.
Seifert went to an inner 3oor, announced
ny name, and Humboldt Immediately ap-
,eLred. He came upro ms with hearth
ness and cprdiality which made me feel that
was in the presence of friend, gave me
,is hand, and inquired whether we should
in English or German. Your let
err SAID he, was that of Germ5n, and you
must ce taiuly speak the language familiar-
", bu. | AN also in tie constant habit OF
lsing English" He insisted on my taking
,ne end of the green sofa, observing that he
.arely set upon it himself, then drew up a.
,loin cane .burtomed chair and seated him.
'elf beside it, asking me to speak little
cuder than usual, as hiS hearipg was not
% acute as formerly.
As looked at the majestic old man, the
inc of TennysoD, describing Wellington,
:ame into my mind: 'Oh, good gray head,
which Ill men know The first impression
made by Humboldt's face is that Of broad
md genial humanity. His massive brow.
leavy with the gathered wisdom of yearly a
century, bends forward and overhangs his
q y
ook below il, pair of clear blue eyes, al
most as bright and steady as child's meet
our own. In these eyer you read thai
rust in man, that immortal youth Vi The
leart, which make the SHOWS Of eighty-sev- |
N winters lie so lightly upon his head
ou trust lin utterly at the first glance,
md you feel tiat he will trust you, il you |
re worthy of It. had approached him
With natural feeling OF reverence, b It in
i've minutes found that loved him, and
;ould talk with him Us freely as with
riend Of my ..own age. His nose. mouth
md chin, have the heavy Teutonic charsc-
er, whose genuine type always expresses
N honest simplicity and drectness.
| was most surprised by the youthful
haracter of his face. know that he has
'een frequently indispo>ed during the pres
mt year. and had been ru!d that he was be-
Thinning to show the marks of his extreme
ge. but should not have suspected him oi
,eing over seventy-five. His wrinkles are
ew and small. and his skin has smoothness
nd delicacy rarely seen in old men. His
alr, aUOSetner SHOW Wnlte, is sAi.i o'uu-
mt, his step slow but hrm. and his manner
ctive almost TO restlessness. He sleeps
ut four hours out o: ~, reads and replies
o his daily train Of letters, and suffers no
ingle occurrence Of the least interest in
nv part. of the world to escape his attention.
could not perceive that his memory, the
rst mental faculty 10 show decay. is st all
impaired. He talks rapidly. with the great
st apparent ease, never hesitating for
,ord, whether in English or Germsn,lnd in
act, seemed to be unconscious which Ian
uage he was using, IS he changed five
'hich or six times in the course of the con-
ersation. He did not remain in his chair
,ore than ten minutes at time, frequently
citing up and walking about the room, now
nd then pointing to picture OF opening
book to illustrate some remark.
He began by referring to my winter jour.
ey into Lapland. why do you choose
he win,er?" he a,ked. "Iour experience
iii be very interesting, it is true, but will
ou not suffer from the severe COLI" THAT