Vlll PREFACE. 



tions, nowhere has the man of science been represented as he 

 lived and laboured ; for even the biography published in 1860 

 by W. C. Wittwer : c Alexander von Humboldt. His Life and 

 Labours as a Man of Science,' furnishes in reality little more 

 than that which had already appeared elsewhere. 



The fact is that the compilation of a biography of Humboldt 

 which should in every sense be worthy of the subject and em- 

 brace the whole range of his scientific labours, was an under- 

 taking of no small difficulty. Even the men who were most 

 closely associated with him are compelled to confess that they 

 are not in a position to do justice to the activity of his 

 universal genius. The necessary sources of information for 

 the accomplishment of such a purpose were unattainable, were 

 even hermetically sealed. Humboldt himself was ' painfully 

 shy of communicating anything relating to family affairs ; ' and, 

 though admitting their necessity for the history of science, he 

 detested all biographies, especially eulogies. Thus, in writing 

 to Dr. Spiecker, he remarks : c I have so often refused to take 

 part in any biographical notice of either myself or my brother, 

 whether by furnishing materials or by revising the compilations 

 of others, that I feel compelled to preserve the same line of 

 conduct in Germany that I have hitherto maintained both in 

 France and England. My horror of biographies is almost as 

 great as that which I feel for the portraits of old men painted 

 by the sun, although both may be viewed in the history of 

 science as a disagreeable necessity. Life is daily losing for me its 

 charm, and I need your kindest indulgence, my worthy friend, 

 for this idiosyncracy of an old man. I have even inserted a 

 clause in my will forbidding that any eloge should be pro- 

 nounced over me at the Institute.' His will, bearing date 

 May 10, 1841, is preserved in the royal palace at Potsdam, 

 and the clause above referred to runs as follows : c I request 

 that my dear relatives and friends will endeavour to prevent 

 the appearance of any biographical notice of me or laudatory 

 article in either the " Staatszeitung " or other public journal 

 over which they can exercise any control. I have also drawn 



