The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-08-19
BAYARD TAYLoR's STORIES OF HUMBOLDT.

When first saw him he was in his eighty eighth
year, but, except in the bowed head and slow STEP
showed scarcely any signs of bodily decay. por-
trait 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 upon his mind was, perhaps,
lack of that power of concentration which enabled
him to master so many various departments of
tura science. He still every inch king w it'll
no faculty appreciably dulled no sympathy blunt
ed, no hope for the increase of human knowledge
generous aspiration for the good ofhis kind less
earnest than in his prime of life. year later, l
found him broken, indeed, in bodily health, yet
still capable of sixteen hours of continuous mental
labor and his last letter to me, written but short
time before his death, BETRAYED no sign of failing
faculties, though the hand which traced it was evil
IDENTITY weak and trembling.
In the castle at Tegel, where he was born, and in
the park ofwhich he now sleeps beside his brother
hangs portrait of him, painted at the age of thir
ty-ive. He is there represented a man of rather
less than the medium STATURE but firmly and SYM
metrically built, with full KEEN ardent face firm
lips, clear blue eyes, and thick locks of chestnut
hair, clustering about his square, massive brow He
wears green coat, kneebreeches, and heavy
cloak lined with red. He is represented as leaning
against rock on slope of the Andes, the snowy
dome of Chimborazo filling up the background of
the picture. In comparing this picture with his v
ing presence, | found that the shoulders had
stopped, leaving the head bent forward, if weigh
ed down by the burden of its universal knowledge;
the hair had grown snow-wbite, and somewhat thin
ner; the mouth had lost its clear, sharp outline
and the eager, energetic expression of the face
gone but the blue eyes serene and youth
full as ever, and the skin fair smooth and rudy
almost as that of young man.
HUMBoLDT's INTEGRITY AND KINDNESS.
Yet, though the acknowledged equal of kings,
he was never seduced by the spendors of courts to
forget his character as man, whose sympathies
We're with the people rather than their rulers. So
well were his political predictions understood
among the monarchs who called him friend, that at
N. e r L.
Der, when be proposed some temporary measure
which had an arbitrary character, the Emperor
Alexander /. of Russia, turning to him, said in
tone of mock reproach: "And is it you, arch-re-
publican as You are, who propose this despotic
measure" This incident was related to me by
Humboldt himself, during my last interview with
him. One can therefore understand the depth of
| that esteem felt for him by the present demented
King of Prussia, when the latter introduced Hum
bodt to the Emperor Franz Joseph, of Austria, at
Prague, some four or fiveyear ago. His iesutical
majesty asked: "Who is Baron Won Humboldt
that you present him to me with much empresse-
n1em have never heard of him!' "Not heard
of him!' exclaimed the King in honest amaze
ment; "why he is the greatest man since the Del
ugeP'
Humboldts large fortune was wholly expended
in the prosecution of his travels and the publication
of his works, and during the latter years of his life
he was entirely dependent on his diplomatic pen
sion, and the copyright of his "Kosmos." To my
friend Heine. the artist, he sent his own copy (the
original editon) of his Vues DIES CordiUeres, con-
tanning some of his marginal notes. On learning
that the same gentleman had been obliged to go to
America thr ough his connection with the events of
lS4S, he prevailed upon the King of Prussia to
grant him the Order of the Red Eagle-.hrough
which recognition the official ban was removed
TIL is is but instance of the many acts of kind
ness on his part, with which have become ac-
quainted.
The portrait which accompanies this volume is
pOnIpd q nhOtOnranh MI oh Obt OH
Berlin, and which is perfect representation of
Humboldt, in his eighty-sixth year.
Discovery AN IsLAND.-The New Bedford
Mercury learns by private letter, that Capt. Rob-
ert D. Eldridge, of the bark Amazon, of Farhaven,
has discovered an island in the Pacific Ocean, sew
eral hundred miles from any land laid down on the
charts. The letter was dated at sea- Jan. l6, 1859,
and in it Capt. Eldridge says of the island
sit is in lat % AS north, and long. 1850 So
west very low and dangerous, and is, expect the
last resting place of the crew of some of the ships
which have been missed in years gone by | ran
along the lee side within pistol-shot of the beach,
but it was too rough to land; and after convincing
myself that there were no living people upon the
island squared away again. On the highest part
of the island is house apparently built from pieces
of wreck, with flagstaff at one end, from which
still danged the hayard block. Near the house
were several little hummocks, each with tall up
right stone upon it, evidently the graves OF the
poor fellows who had escaped from the wreck
of their vessel, and died this dreary spot, where
perhaps they had spent months in vainly looking
for passing sail to relieve them from their weary
prison.
MARYLAND Coal TRADE.-For the week ending
Saturday, August 18th, S,7S7.l3 tons of coal were
shipped over the Cumberland and Pennsylvania
Railroad and 1885, IS the road of the Georges
Creek Coal and Iron Company. Making total
for the week from the entire region of 1884. IL
tons.
Total shipments for the year from the entire re-
gion, 290,67l.07 TONS
81 boats cleared this port during the week end
ing Wednesday, the 18th inst, carrying 10,556.0O
tons of coal. s t..l .-l
During the season l ,707 boats cleared this port,
carrying 173, 709 06 tons of Cumberland CT
vilian. s.. ..ef ...
Here is touching epitath we stumbled over
somewhere, that may fill corner in SOMEBODY
scrap-book
"Here lay two brothers
By water COMPOUNDED,
The one died of dropsy,