New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-03-08
,Bsyara Taylor's Second Interview with
Humboldt.

1
Bayard Taylor, in recent letter to the New York
Tribune. gives an account Of his second interview
with Humboldt on bis return 70 Berlin nom tne
North.
He was slightly palsr than before, little thinner,
i perhaus. and could see that bis step was not 80
frm. INIT the pale blue eyes beamed clear In intel
| Iioence "a ever and tile voice had as steady and
4 CHEEKY tone. He shook hands with the cordiality
Of friend and after the first greetings were over,
Questioned me infinitely concerning my travels in the
But one topic soon suggests hundred others, and
he was ere long roaming at large the whole field
Of geography and cimatology touching the farthest
and darkest regions Of the earth with the light OF his
stupendons knowledge. The sheets Of the new vol
ume OF Cosmos lay upon the table g Here is what
have done since you were here before, said he tax
ing 1t up +; the work will be published in two or
three weeks q You find yourself then, still capable
of such laborgn ventured to ask. Work is now a
part Of my lifen said he sleep 50 little and much
rest would be irksome- Day before yesterday, /
worked for sixteen hours, reviewing these sheetsp
" Are you not greatly iatigued,n asked after such
feel refreshed, but the performance Of if depends
greatly on my bodily health / am unconscious Of
any mental fatigue. As saw in the face, and heard
in the voice. Of the splendid old man. all the signs Of
sound, unfaing intellect, could well believe it.
had prided myself little on having worked with
the brain fifteen hours day for six months, yet here
Humboldt in bis eighty ninth year, capable Of an
equal exertion.
was exceedingly interesting to His mind, full OF
vigor and overlooking with active life seemed to con-
slider the body something independent OF itself,
and to watch, With curious eye It's gradual decay,
as he might have watched that Of a tree in bis
| younger days. g have been unwel through the
| summer said he" But you must not believe all
you have in the newspapers concerning my i'll
ness They stated that was attacked with the apo
pexy but It only vertigo, which soon left me- and
was not followed by the usual effects of apopexy.
One result, however, shows that my body is begin
ming to give way. i have not the same power of
controlling my limbs as iormey-the viii does not
to act upon the muscles, there is link broken
somewhere, which is probably too late to restore.
For instance, very often when | attempted to walk
straight forward, do not feel certain that my legs
will carry mt in strait line they may go either to
the one side the other, and though cannot notice
any real want Of strength, feel uncertain and mis-
trustful. For this reason, / must have assistance
when go up or down stairs After all, 1t is not
singular that some parts Of the machinery should get
rusty ut my age"
Soon afterward, while speaking Of Thibet he re-
ferred to very fine copperpate map, and | noticed
that he saw the most minute names distinctly with
out the aid Of spectaces But then be has the eye of
youth OF twenty years. Age may palsy his limbs
but it has never looked out Of those windows.
After had been sitting an hour, Seifert came to
the door and said q The two gentlemen have come
shall admit themg = / rose to leave. but Hum
boldt said: +" No no, remain, they are from Hong
Kong-perhaps you know them.p | looked at the
cards, and recognized an acquaintance in the name
OF an editor Of Hong Kong paper The other was
Government official After they entered, the CONVEX
sation took more general tone, but was not sorry
Tor this afteTward as it gave Humboldt occasion to
recall scenes of his early life One Of the visit
ors spoke Of Frederick the Great. "a remember him
WE'LL said Humboldt; was sixteen years old when
he died, and can see his face still plainly can
see yours. was but eighteen when | visited Eng
land for the first time It was during the trial of
Warren Hastings, which frequently attended. r re-
member that heard Edmund Burke, Pitt and Sheri-
dan all speak on the same night
! shall not repeat his account of the Congress of
Verona, or his anecdotes of Alexander l. of Russia
whom he knew intimately, as l am not certain
whether have right to do so at present. After
the visitors left remained with him, until it was
time 70 prepare FOR the dinner given to Alexander H.
to which he was hidden.
cow7n
"Yesa
Well must be polite enough to live until then |
You must bring your wife with you Oh, know all |
about it, and you must not think because | have |
never been married myself, that do not congratu-
late YOU"
After these cordial words and clasp Of the hand,
in which there was nothing weak or tremulous, ! |
parted from the immortal old man.
was glad to learn from Seert, that Hildebrand's |
admirable watercoor drawing Of Humboldt in his |
library is soon TO be printed in chromotint so that
very accurate copies of it be obtained at mod
crate price, AS have not only seen the original but
the room and man that represents testify to its
entire fidelity, and would suggest to Humbodts ad
mirers in America that they cannot procure better
Illustration Of him. / suppose copies Of it will be
sent TO America for sale. Herr Milhausen Seiferts
son-inaw who is now attached as artist to the expe
dtioD for the survey of wagonroad TO the Pacific
prepared for the press, before leaving Berlin splen-
ddly Illustrated work of the ella country which is
now being published underline patronage Of the King
L will cost about $2S copy. Humboldt himself |
wrote the preface, copy OF which he gave me. He |
was greatly gratied at the readiness with which our
present Secretary Of War gave MFR. Milhausen sec
ond appointment.