PEEF ACE 



There are several hiographies of Sumholdt^ French^ 

 German^ and English^ hut none of any importance^ except 

 Professor Klencke^s. Klencke had an excellent opportu- 

 nity to maJce a good hooJc^ for much of his material icas 

 obtained from Humboldt himself^ hut he failed to do so. 

 He seemed to have no idea of writing^ heyond its heing a 

 means of conveying facts. His facts are reliable^ hut 

 hunglingly arranged^ xoithout order or method. He says 

 the same thing over and over again^ and entirely lacJcs the 

 chief requisite of a biographer — the art of tnaking his 

 subject attractive. Stilly he is reliable^ and the author has 

 made considerable use of his worJc^ especially in JBoolc I. 



The first five chapters of Booh II. are taken from Hum- 

 boldVs "Voyage aux Regions Equinoxiales." As these 

 chapters cover an important epjoch in HumboldVs life., it icas 

 thought advisable to let him tell his own story ^ and this 

 has accordingly been done., wherever it was practicable^ the 

 relation heing changed from the first person to the third — 

 from autobiography to narrative. Of course only the 



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