18 Boston Society of Natural History 



leaf, N. S.Shaler, B.P.Mann,F. G.Sanborn, E. Bicknell, and C. S. 



Minot. 



In this list the student of Natural History will recognize names 

 which have earned immortal fame in the annals of their State and 

 Country. 



The Thirty-Ninth Milestone 

 i86g 



ON September 14, in this year, the centennial anniversary of 

 the birth of Alexander von Humboldt was held under the 

 auspices of our Society. The Rev. Robert C. Waterston, D.D., on this 

 occasion presented the portrait of Humboldt, painted by the Boston 

 artist, Mr. M. Wight, who wrote the following letter to the donor of 

 the portrait which now hangs in our Museum. Humboldt declared 

 the portrait by Wight to be the best ever painted of himself. 



Rev. R. C. Waterston: 



Dear Sir, You have requested me to give some account of Hum- 

 boldt, whose portrait I had the honor to paint. I beg leave briefly 

 to state that in 1852 I saw him in Berlin. He was at that time 

 eighty-three years of age. The first interview was on the occasion 

 of his sitting for the portrait in February of that year. I found him 

 a man rather below the medium stature, dressed with the utmost 

 simplicity, in black. His step was moderate, but firm and decided, 

 with his head a little inclined forward. In conversation, his face 

 would glow with enthusiasm and his small clear eyes sparkle with 

 animation. He was apparently very tenacious of his time. There 

 were five sittings. I found him always prompt to the minute. Know- 

 ing that he had received several decorations from crowned heads, 

 I asked him if he wished me to represent any of them in his por- 



