Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1858-02-20
Bayard Tayger's Secand iatervie w
Wian Humboldt.

n. Y. Tribune, gives an account OF his see
ond interview with Humboldt, on his re-
turn to Berlin, from the North:
He was slightly paler than before, llt'
tie thinner, perhaps, and | could see that
his step was not so firm; but the pale blue
eye beamed as clear an intelligence as ev-
err, and the voice had as steady and cher
ry Tone He shook hands with the e,rdi-
ality of friend and after the first greet
ings were over, questioned me infinitely
concerning nv travels in the North
But one topic soon suggests a hundred
Others, and he was ere long roaming at
large over the whole field of geography
aud cimatology, touching the f,sfthe t and
darkest regions Of the earth with the light
of his stupendous knowledge. The sheets
of the new volume Of cosmos lay upon the
table. "Here is what have done 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; 81 sleep so little, and much rest
would be irksoma. Day before yesterday,
worked for sixteen hours, reviewing these
Sheets" care You mob greatly faigued.
asked, ''after such an exertiona" "On
the cont rary," he replied, Il feel refresh
ed, but the performance of it depends
greatly on my state of bodily health. |
am unconscious Of any mental fatigue. =
| IL in "a
voice, of the splendid old n,all the signs
of a sound uufailing intellect, | could well
believe it. | had prided myself d little on
having worked with the brain fifteen hours
day for six months, yet here was Hum
boldt, in his eighty-ninth year, capable OF
an equal exertion.
The manner in which he spoke of his
bodily health was exceedingly interesting
to me. His mind, full of vigor and over
flowing with active life, seemed to consid.
er the body as something independent OF
itself, and to watch, with a curious eye, It's
gradual decay, as he might have watched
that of his younger days. 81 have beer
unwell through the summer" said he, 'bu'
you must believe all you see i'll the news
papers concerning my illness. They sta
ted that was attacked with apopleyy, but
it was only vertigo, which scon left me
and has not been followed by any Of the
usual effect of apoplexy. One result, how
ever, shows that my body is beginning to
give way. | have not the same power of
controlling my limbs as formerly; the sill
does not seem to act upon the muscles
there is link broken somewhere, which it
is probably too late TO restore. For in
stance, very often, when | attempt to
walk straight forward, do not feel certain
that my legs will carry me in a straight
line; they may 60 either to one side or the
other, and though Icannot notice any real
want of strength, feel uncertain and mis-
trustful For this reason, must have as
sistance when | 60 up or down stairs. AT
ter all, it is not singular that some parts of
the machinery should get rusty at my age.
Soon afterward. while speaking of Thbe;,
he referred to very fine eopperpiate map,
and | noticed that he saw the most minute
names distinctly, without the aid Of spec
tacles. But then he has the eyes of a
youth of twenty years. Age may palsy
his limbs, but it has never looked out OF
those windows.
After had been sitting an hour, Seifurt
came to the door and sail: 'The two
gentlemen. have come,shall admit them 2
rose to leave, but Humboldt said:'. No,
no-relnan. Tbay are from Hong Kong
perhaps you know them" l looked at the
cards, and recognized an acquaintance in
the name of an editor Of Hong Kong pa
Der. The other was aGovernment official.
After they entered, the conversation took
more general tone, but | was not sorry
for this afterward, as it gave Humboldt
occasion to recital some scenes of his early
| life. One of the visitors spoke of Freder-
| lex the Great. II remember him well,
said Humboldt: I was sixteen years old
when he died, and can see his face still
as plainly as | can see yours. | was
but eighteen when visited England for
the first time. 1t was during the trial of
Warren Hastings which | frequently at
tended. | remember that I heard Ed
mund Burke, Pitt, and Sheridan all speak
on the same night"
| | shall not repeat his account Of the
Congress of Verona, or his anecdotes Of
Alexander T. Of Russia, whom he knew in
timately, as | am not certain whether
have right to do SO at present After
the visitors left, remained with him, until
it was time for him to prepare fsr the din
ner given to Alexander H., to which be
was hidden. "You will pass through Ber-
lin on your way TO Moscow said he
Yes" "Well--I 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
congratulate 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 Seifert, that
Hildebrands admirable water color draw
ing of Humboldt in his library IS soon to
be printed in chromotint SO that very &C