New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-20


teu,atic connection and completeness. The eoncep-
ton of universal human freedom had never dawned
upon his mind He did not understand the place IN
history which belonged to the impulse OF humanity
towards freedom Free, free minded ne certainly
as Roman as tribune as soon as he comesto
modern actual life, his perception ceases Hence In
his personal character there was vein OF bitterness
which did not allow him to arrive at peace with NM
SELF He did not know how TO adjust the rival claims
of legitimacy and freedom in our day. You know
very well that in fact he only died oil ehagih AZ the
Revolution of July.In this respect. Medium always
reminds me of the CPrussian) minister. Won Stein.
Stein had the reputation of being thoroughly Tree
minded He abolished feudal servitude aud exclusive
cornoratious But as Nassau baron he obstinately
chung to all the feudal rights in opposition to the
DIXIE of Nassau. to the end of his career and died
with the thought that he must ask forgiveness OF
God for doing away with the corporations mat IL
no freemindedness. Gas understand the WORD. You
can also detect this weakness in Medium, Ill the
details of his Roman history, for instance ion
never know where to find him. 1t is perpetual
oscillation to and fro"
During the same interview. the conversation incl
dentaly fell upon the idea of Immortality. Humboldt
described the idea of personal Immortality simply
as belonging TO the category Of Problems wmch
admit of no positive objective solution, but Tor when
there is always something to be said on both SIDES
i The answer to the question depends on the per
sona need of each individual, which as such Is not
to be contradcted Within the sphere of science 1t
is disputed Whether the spirit is inseparabe from
the body, or whether, after the dissolution OF the
same il can continue TO exist hold this question
incapable of an objective decision, has been said
But for myself he added with an iBdescrbable ex-
pression " it is certainly time that should make my
chOicen He also briefly touched on the belief IN
ghosts This said he, does not like the faith In
immortality suppose the going over OF our world
into another, lbut the coming OF tho spirit
world into our own. During the last years OF his
life, my brother was very much occupied with
these ideas. For my part do not believe in
any such transmigratiOn. 1t is strange tendency
of the human mindn lie then alluded briefly to
Aristotle's enteleeheia," p'latos "reminiscences,
and the spirit-rappings in the United States, but
without any detailed expression of opinion. Ills
words made a deep impression on his visitor, as
" the utterance of the great seeker, the untiring
laborer in the eld of science. who, without seref
erence advanced quietly in the path of truth salts
fled with the consciousness Of working with the
other heroes of humanity on the grand edce of the
ages and unconcerned for the future, whose progress
i'm the free development of inward power and scien
tifc knowledge was guaranteed by the present.
The last visit of the editor of this volume was
made in July, 1856 less than three years before the
death of Humboldt. lie was now in the eighty
seventh year of his age. lie met his young friend
with the request that he would take seat very near
him, for at my time Of life. said he Il do not hear
so we'll and do not like 10 lose anything which you
may say" HIS visitor perceived no change III him,
during the four years since they had last met HIS
fresh and healthy complexion the brightness Oh his
eye his clear and rapid enunciaon, and the humane
=. Ill. elt.ga h.4
discourse turned upon England. Of which his visitor
had spoken in high terms. after residing for some
time in that country, instead Of emigrating to
America an he had purposed. You are right said
Humboldt. England possesses the most advan. ages
and is free from many Of the evils Of American life
1t is true there are various questions which one |
cannot discuss impartially either with the English
or with Americans with the elite OF own coun
trymen. But IN their fanatcal party spirit, and in a
certain almost brutal of ideas that Of
piece with the habit of carrying weapons on the
person, which prevails even in some Of the older |
States the Americans stand far behind the cultiya
tOn of the mOther-country Iou must have read IN |
the newspapers what an excitement has been pro- |
duced against me in the United States by the aSSer
ton in my work on Cuba that the condition of tho
blacks under the Spanish Government was IN many
respects preferable TO that Of the slaves under the
twenty years ago in the first edition of that work
1t is now hunted mp, with keener eye perhaps on
account of political interests and now calls forth
furious rage against me. have replied to these at
tacks in letter, and have expressed myself in
strong language as the case demanded" Humboldt
then spoke of his habits of work, (which presented
such wonderful example of activity in old age and
the more extraordinary ms his physician had doubted
about his health, previous to his great American
journey. Il still generally work without nteuup-
ton said he, till three o'clock in the morning
then sleep about four hours. could sleep longer
ten or twelve hours and have tried it, bat gave it
mp because it gave me no greater refreshment. On
the whole, when take my age Of eighty-six years
into consideration, ought to be satisfied with my
health. In our writing and reading Ger |
many" he continued E" man like myself has the |
misfortune to be regarded as kind of wonder and
curiosity. Everybody presses around him az if he |
were the only representative Of science. When / |
lived in Paris where the interest divided among
more persons, the case was different Add TO this
my position at court, which brings me let |
tiers not only from scientific but from |
all sorts Of people-nnhedged poets. millners |
superintendents of charitable institutions, who |
solicit me TO intercede for the patronage of |
the royal family and all that. Even my scientific |
correspondence is always on the increase. Germany,
Italy, France, England, America, throw themselves |
upOn me with perfect bOmbardment Of letters. At |
present receive every year about three thousand
letters, and answer something like two thousand.
My postage bill amounts to between $500 and 5000.
In spite Of all this, cannot prevail myself to
keep secretary II would only make my CORE
spoDdcnee stiff and business-like / can often dis
patch subject sooner with few simple words from
my own hand and thus give more satisfaction Re-
member how tedious Goethe's letters were after he