The Nevada journal., 1858-03-12

cannot fail to interest all who know any
thing of the biography of Baron Hum
boldt. He had written from Berlin to
the great and good old man at Potsdam,
asking the privilege of calling upon him
again.
The next days express from Pots
dam brought me most kind and friend
ly reply, welcoming me back to the
Baltic sand-sea,' as he calls the Bran
denberg plain, and stating that, although
the Emperor Alexander and his suite
were to arrive that evening, he would
nevertheless take an hour or two from
the excitement Of the Court to talk to
me about the North. He was residing
III the Palace at Potsdam, where he di-
rected me to call at noon on Monday.
| was glad when
the clock struck twelve at last, and |
could leave the rafting streets for that
quiet corner OF the palace in which Hum
boidt lives. The door was opened, as
before, by Seifert, who recognized me
at once. Welcome back = he cried
I'VE know where you have been-we
have read all your letters His Excel
lency tas been quite sick, and you will
not find him so strong as he was last
year, but he is in tolerable health again,
thank God Come in, come in; he is
waiting. Opening the door as he spoke,
he ushered me into little library, on
the threshold Of which Humboldt, who
had risen, received me. lie was slight
ly paler than before, little thinner,
perhaps, and could see that his step
was not so firm; but the pale blue eye
beamed as clear an intelligence as ever,
and The voice had as steady and CHEEKY
tone. lie shook lands with the cor
diality of IA friend, and, after the first
greetings were over, questioned me mi
nutely concerning my travels in the
North.
But one topic soon suggests hund-
red others and we were ere long, roam
ing Al large over the whole field of ge-
ography and climatology, touching the
farthcst and darkest regions of the earth
with the light Of his stupendous knowl-
CuSC' Ht SHtCtS VI tHG new volume ul
Cosmos lay upon the table. Here 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 sucn labor 2 [ ventured to
ask. Work is now a part of my life
said he; Il sleep 50 little, and much rest
would be irksome. Day before yester-
day, worked for sixteen hours review
ING these sheets Are you not greatly
fatigued,' | asked, after such an exer-
ton 'Ol the contrary he replied, Il
feel refreshed, but the performance Of it
depends greatly on my state of bodily
health. L am unconscious of any men,
tai fatigue AS | saw in the face and
heard liz the voice, of the splendid old
man, all the signs of sound, unfailing
intellect, could well believe it. | had
prided myself little on having worked
with the brain fifteen hours day for
six months, yet here was Humboldt, in
his eighty-ninth year, capable of equal
exertion.
The manner in which he spoke of his
bodily health was exceedingly interest
ing to me. His mind, full OF vigor and
overhowing with active life, seemed to
consider the body as something indie
pendent of itself and to watch, with a
curious eye, its gradual decay, as he
might have watched that of tree in his
Younger days. Il have been unwell
through the Summer, said he, but you
must not believe all you have seen in
the newspapers concerning my illness.
They stated that ] was attacked with
apoplexy, but it was only vertigo,
which soon left me, and has not been
followed by any Of the usual effects of
apoplexy. One result. however, shows
that my body is beginning to give way.
my limbs as formerly; the will does not
seem to act upon the muscles there is
link broken somewhere, which 1t Is
probably too late to restore. For in
stance, very often, when | attempt to
walk straight forward, do not feet GER
tain that my legs viii carry me i'll a
straight line; they may go either one
3ittt tt thC ptAti, ana, tIGu1n L cannot
notice amy real want Of strength, | feel
uncertain and mistusttu. For this rea-
son, must have assistance when | 90
~ or down stairs. After ali 1t is not
81 sular that some parts If the machine
~ should get rusty, at my age Soon
af.crward, while speaking of ihibet, he
referred to a fine copperplate map, and
/ noticed that he saw the most minute
names distinctly. without the aid of
spectacies But then he has the eyes
OF youth of twenty years. Age may
palsy his limbs, hut it has never looked
out of those windows.
After had been sitting an hour, Sci
fert came to the door and said, The
two gentlemen have come-shall | ad-
init them = rose TO leave, but Hum
boldt said, mo, no--remain. They are
from Hongkong; perhaps YOU know
them" | looked at the cards, and re-
cognized an acquaintance in the name OF
an editor of Hongkong paper. The
| IL, "a.