The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-08-05
Humboldt's Personal Appearance and
Character.

Bayard Taylor, who was in Dubuque wher
tho intelligence of the death of Humboldt
WAS received, furnished tho Times of that
c'ty with the following sketch Of tho per.
Sonal appearance aud character OF that
great German:
In person, Humboldt was short, strongly
built, yet without any approach to corpulen-
cy. During the last years of his lifc, he
carried his head bent, with STOPPING shoul.
durs, as if his body had not vigor enough to
hold up the weight Of the knowledge con
tanned in his massive brain. Yot in the
prime of life, when perfectly oroct his height
could not have becn moro than five feet, six
inches. His head was large, aud mark cd by
q beautiful symmetry, bis forehead smooth
and unwrinklcd, and the blue eyes rs soft,
steady and clear as those Of child. His
sight was perfect enabling him to road tho
finest print without spuctacles.
His nose and mouth wore of the heavy
Teutonic type, and tho expression of his
faco fully accorded with tho truth, consist
ency aud bonignity OF his character No
person could have seen him without being
inspired with an Immediate personal regard
for him. In tho castle at Tcgl, the patri.
mony Of the Humboldt family, hangs a
picture representing him IN his thirty-fift
year, on tho sido of Chimborazo. IIo thoru
appears rather slender, but with the same
massive head and clear blue eyes. and with
thick brown locks. In another portrait at
the ago of fifty, his hair is already snow white
His countcnance changed very little after
that period, the skin still remaining smooth
and with fresh, healthy tint.
Ho dicd through tho gradual decay of hi
physical faculties, retaining his mental pow
crs to tho last. AS late as 1853, ho was ac
customed to labor frequently for sixteen
hours at timo and tho last published vol
umc of Cosmos exhibited no signs of al
enfocblcd intellect. The first shock hi
constitution received was given to it by sue.
cessivc attacks of influenza, disorder ver,
prevalent IN Berlin. He had noticed the
slow and more difficult action of his physi
| cal functions, had perceived tho gradual dim
mutton of his vital powers, and in tho sum
mer of 1858 mado calculation that if they
continued to give way steadily in tho SAINT
ratio, his death must tako place this year.
| Probably no distinguished man of thiI
century, with the exception OF Beranger
surpassed humboldt in simplicity, honest,
and native dinity of character. ThOugl
born nO6luman, tho confidential friend o
his king and the accepted equal of tho mon
archS OF Europe, his sympalhies wore VIII
the liberal party, and he never hcsita,od tc
express them. While his summers were
passed in tho Royal Palace at Potsdam, hi
occupied apartments in the house of his owl
servant in Berlin, during the winter, 81
we'll were his political predictions known
that the Congress of Vionna, Of which ht
wus a membHr, whom he had proposed some
temporary measure which had an arbitrar,
character, tho Emperor Alexander |, OK
claimed And it is you arch-republical
as you arc, who propose such Gespot
measure y
Like Washington's, Humboldt's mind wa
so beautifully symmetrical, that it would b
easy to point out many men who went be
You'd him in particular departments Of SC
enco. He was too great in all to be spC
cally distinguished, and in the extent of h
, iabors, as well as tho amount os his sacrii
ces in tho acquisition of knowledge, he hr
never boen surpassed by any man. Ill
Iifo has been splendid success. He ha
enjoyed the unbounded respect and admir-
ton of three generations, and now the worI
mourns in him tho loss of her greatest maj