Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-02-26

BAYARD TAYLoR's INTERVIEW WITH BARON
HuMBoLDT.-The following extract from Bay
ard Taylor's last letter from Europe. in which
he describes his interview with the great nat
uralist, Baron Humboldt, in Prussia. now
nearly, 80 years of age, will be read with
great interest:
81 was glad when the clock struck II at
last, and / could leave the rafting streets for
that quiet corner of the palace in which
Humboldt lives. The door was opened. as
before, by Selfert, who recognized me at once.
welcome back = he cried; we know where
you have heen we have read all your letters!
His Excellency has been quite sick, and you
wll''not hnd him SO strong as he was last year,
but ne is in tolerable health again, thank
God Come in, come in; he is waiting
Opening the doors as he spoke, he usherea
me into little library, on the threshold of
which Humboldt. who had risen, received me.
He was slightly paer than bafore, a little
thinner, perhaps, and could see that his step
was not SO firm; but the pale-blue eve beam
ed as clear an intelligence as ever, and the
voice had as steady and CHEEKY tone. He
shook hands with the cordially of friend,
and alter the first greetings we're over, ques-
toned me, minutely concerning my travels
in the North.
But one topic soon suggests hundred 9TH
ers, and he was ere long roaming at largep
over the whole field of geography and china.
tology, touching the farthesg and darkest
regions of the earth with the light Of his stu
pendous knowledge. The sheets of the new
volumne of Cosmos lay upon the table. .He1e
is what | have been doing since YOU were
here before, said he, taking it up : the work
will be published in two or three weeks
You find yourself, then, still capable of such
labor ! ventured to ask. Work is now a
part Of my life, said he; i sleep so little. and
much rest would be irksome. Day before
yesterday, worked for sixteen hours, re-
viewing these sheets. care you not greatly
fatigued, l asked, after such an exertlon %
'On the contrary, he replied. i feel refresh.
ed, but the performance of it depends greatly
on my state Of bodily health. 1 am uncon-
scious of any mental fatigue AS l saw in
the face, and heard in the voice of the spen-
did old man, all the signs of a sound, unfal.
ing intellect, could well believe it, l had
prided myself little ON having worked with
the brain fifteen hours day for six months,
yet here was Humbaldt, in his seth year,
capable of an equal exertion.
The manner in which he spoke of his bod.
lily health was exceedingly interesting to me.
His mind, full of vigor and OVERLOOKING with
active life, seemed to consider the body as
something independent OF itself, and to watch
with a curious eye, its gradual decay, as he
might have watched that OF tree in his
younger days. have been unwell through
the summer, said he, but you must not be-
lieye all you may have seen in the newspapers
concerning my illness. They stated that l
was attacked with apoplexy, but it was only
a vertigo, which soon left me, and has not
been followed by any OF the usual effects of
spoplexy. One result, hosever, shows that
my body is beginning to give way. have
not the same power of controlling my limbs
as formerly; the will does not seem to act
upon the muscles there is link broken
somewhere, which is probably too late to re-
store. For instance, very often when l at
tempt to walk straight forward, do not feel
certain that my legs will carry me in a straight
line; they may go either TO one side or the
other, and, though cannot notice any real
want OF strength. full uncertain and mis-
trustful For this reason | need assistance
when 90 up or down stairs. after all, it is
not singular that some parts OF the machinery
should get rusty, at my age. Soon after
ward, while speaking Of Thibet, he referred
to a very fine copperplate map, and | noticed
that he saw the most minute names distinctly,
without the aid of spectaces. But then he
mas Jne eyes Oh yOueh VI tWeHty years.
Age may palsy his limbs, but it has never
looked out OF those windows.
After had been sitting an hour, Sefert
came to door and said 'rhe two gentlemen
have oome-shall l admit them ? rose to
leave, but Humboldt said; NO, no-remain.
They are f,om Hong Kong; perhaps you
know them looked at the cards, and re-
cognized an acquaintance in the name Of an
editor Of Hong Kong paper. The other was
a government official. After they entered,
the conversation took mvre general tone
but / was not sorry for this allerward, as it
gave Humboldt occasion to recall some scenes
of his early life. One of tie visitors spoke Of
Frederick the Great. q remember him WELL"
said Humboldt: i was sixteen years old
when he died, and l can see his face still as
plainly as l can yours. l was but eighteen
when visited England for the first time. IL
was during the trial Of Warren ahastiogs,
Which frequently attended. Remember
that heard Edmund Burke, Pitt and Shen-
den all speak on tho night
l cannot repeat his account OF the Congress
Of Venna, or his anecdotes of Alexander I.lof
Russia, whom no knew intimately, as am
not certain whether l have a right to do 80
at present. After the visitors left, remained
with him until il was time for him to prepare
for the dinner given to Alexander H., In
which ho was hidden. you will pase through