Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-10-08
Bavard Tavlor's Stories Of Humboldt.


to issue n carefully prepared life Of Alexander
Humboldt From the introduction by BayArd
Taylor, the traveller, we take the following
"reminiscences Of the great philosopher
HUMBOLDT AND HIS PORTRAIT.
When first saw him he was in his eighty
eighth year, but, except in the bowed head
aud slow step, showed scarcely nny signs Of
bodily decay. A portrait, painted nearly forty
years before, at which time his hair was al
ready gray, showed that time had occasiOned
hut little change in his appearance, while its
only effect upon his mind was, perhaps, lack
Of that power Of concentration which enabled
him to master so many various departments
king, with no faculty appreciably duIlcd, no
sympathy bIuntrd, no hope for the increase Of
human knowledge or generous aspiration for
the good Of his kind less earnest than in his
prime Of life. 4 year later, found him bro
ken, indeed, in bodily health, yet still capable
Of sixteen hours of continuous mental labor.
and his last letter TO the, written but short
time before his death, betrayed no sign Of fail
ing faculties, though the hand which traced it
was evidently weak and trembling.
In the castle at Tcgel, where he was born,
and in the lark Of which he now sleeps beside
his brother, hangs n portrait Of him, painted
at the age of thirty.fivc. lie is there repre-
scnted as man Of rather less than the medium
stature, hut firmly and symmctrically built,
with iull, keen, ardent face, firm lips, clear
blue eyes, and thick locks OF chestnut hair,
clustering about his square, massive brow
lie wears green coat, knec.brceches, and
heavy cloak lined with red. lie is represent
cd MS leaning against a rock on slope Of the
Andes, the snowy dome Of ChimborazO filling
up the background Of the picture. In com.
pairing this picture with his living presence,
found that his shoulders had stopped, leaving
the head bent forward, as If weighed down by
the burden Of its universal knowledge; the hair
had grown snow white, and somewhat thinner
the mouth had lost its clear, sharp outline
and the eager, energetic expression Of the face
was gone; but the blue eyes were MS serene
and youthful "a ever, and the skin as fair,
smooth and ruddy, almost, as that Of young
man.
HrMRoLDTS INTEGRITY AxD KINDNESS.
Yet, though the acknowledged equal ofkinGs
he was never scduced by the Splcnlors Of
courts to forget his character as man, whose
sympathivs were with the people rather than
their rulers. So we'll were his political prcdi-
lcctions understood among the n0narchS who
called him friend, that at the Congress Of We
roma, Of which he was member. when he pro-
posed some temporary measure which lad an
arbitrary character, the Emperor Alexander
I. of Russia, turned to him, said in tone ol
mock rcproach: "And is it you, arch-republi.
can as you are, who propose this despotiC
mcasurc!" This incident was related 10 INC
by Humboldt himself, during my last inter
view with him. One can therefore understand
the depth Of that esteem felt for him by the
present demcntcd King Of PRUSSIA, when the
latter introduced Humboldt to the Emperor
Franz Joseph, Of Austria, at Prague, some
four or Ave years ago. Ills jcsuitical majesty
asked who il Baron Won Humboldt, that yoU
present him to me with so much improvement!
| have never heard of him" "Not heard O
him!" exclaimed the King, in honest amaze
ment; 'why he is the greatest man since thu
Delugc"
Humboldt's large fortune was wholly expen
ded in the prosecution Of his travels and tho
publication Of his works, and, during the lat
er years Of his life, he was entirely dependent
on his diplomatic pension and the copyright
of his "KOsmOs" To my friend Ilcine, thu
artist, he sent his own copy Uhc original cdi
tion) OfhiS ~ 'ues dea COrditierCs," containing
some Of his marginal notes. On learning thu
the same gentleman had been obliged to 60 t
America through his cOnncxion with tho
events Of ls49, hc prevailed upon the King O
Prussia to grant him the Order of the Rec
Eagle-through which recognition the otiicia
ban was removed. This is but one instanc,
Of the many acts Of Kindness on his part witt
which have become acquainted.
The portrait which accompanies this vol
ume is copied from photograph which OBJ
tained from Berlin, and which is perfect rep
rescntation Of Humboldt in his cighty.sixtf
year. RAYARp TAYLoR,
New York, Aug, 1850.