The Kansas herald of freedom., 1859-09-17
s,arias ofHumholdt


Rudd & Carlton, of New York, are
about,to issue carefully prepared life Of
Alexander Humboldt. The introduction,
by Bayard Taylor, the traveller. contains
the following "reminiscences of the great
philosopher:
When / first saw him he was in his
eighty-eighth year: but, excepting the
bowed head aud slow step, showed scarce.
" guy signs of bodily decay. A portrait,
painted nearly forty years before, at which
time his hair was already gray, showed
that time had occasioned but little change
in his appearance, while its only effect on
his mind was, perhaps, lack of that
power of concentration which enabled
him to master so many various depart
menss OF natural science. He was still
every inch king, with no faculty sppre-
ciably dulled, no sympathy blunted, no
hope for the increase of human knowl-
edge or generous aspiration for the good
of his kind less earnest than in his prime
of life. A year later, / found him brok-
en-, indeed, in bodily health, yet still cap
able of sixteen hours of continuous men-
tai labor; and his last letter to me, writ
ten but short time before his death, be-
trayed no sign of failing faculties, though
the hand which traced it was evidently
weak and trembling.
In the castle at Tegel, where he was
born, and in the park Of which he now
sleeps beside his brother, hangs portrait
of him painted at the age of thirty-five
He is there represented as a man of rather
less than the medium stature, but firmly
and symmetrically built, with full, keen,
ardent face, firm lips, clear blue eyes, and
thick locks of chestnut hair, clustering
abou. bis square, massive brow. He wears
a green coat, knee breeches, and heavy
cloak, lined with red. He is represented
as leaning against a rock on the slope OF
the Andes, the snowy dome of Chimbo-
razo filling up the back ground of the pic
ture. In comparing this picture with his
living presence, found that the shoulders
had stopped, leaving the head bent for
ward, as. if weighed down by the burden
of its universal knowledge; the hair had
grown snow white, and somewhat thin
ner the mouth had lost its clear, sharp
outline, and the eager, energetic express
sion Of the face was gone; but the blue
eyes were as serene and youthful as ever,
and the, skin as fair, smooth and ruddy.
almost, as that of young man.
Yet, though the acknowledged equal oi
kings, he was never seduced by the splen-
dor of courts to forget his character as g
man, whose sympathies were with the
people rather than their rulers. So well
were his political predictions understood
among the mouarchs who called him
friend, that, at the Congress of Verona, Ol
which he was q member, when he pro-
posed some temporary measure which had
an arbitrary character, the Emperor Alex
ander /. Of Russia, turn to him, said in q
tone of mock reproach /: sand is it you
arch republican as you are, who propose
this despotic measured" This incident
was related to me by Humboldt himself,
during my last interview with him. One
can therefore understand the depth ol
that esteem fels for him by the present
demented King of Prussia, when the lat
ter introduced Humboldt to the Emperor
Francis Joseph, of Austria, at Prague,
some four or FIVE years ago. His Jesuit
cal majesty asked "Who is Baron Von
Humboldt that you present him to me
with so much enpressement have new
er heard of him !'' "Not heard of him!"
exclaimed the King, in honest amaze
ment; "why he is the greatest man since
the Delugee
Humboldt's large fortune was wholly
expended in the prosecution of his trav.
els and the publication of his works, anc
during the later years of his life he wa
entirely dependent on his diplomatic pen
sion and the copyright of his Kosmos.'
To my friend Heine, the artist, he sen
his own copy (the original edition) of hi
"Vues des Cordilleres," containing som,
of his marginal notes. On learning tina
the same gentleman had been obliged t
go TO America, through his connexiol
with the events of 1S48, he prevailed
upon the King of Prussia to grant him tn
Order of the Red Eagle--through whicl
recognition the official ban was removed
This is but one instance of the many act
of kindness on his part with which hav
become acquainted.
The portrait which accompanies thi
volume is copied from the photograp
which / obtained from Berlin. and whic
is perfect representation of Humboldt i
his eighty-sixth year.
BAYARD TAYLOR.
New York, August, 1859.