30 ALEXANDEB VON HUMBOLDT. 



animating Europe, and already events which the boldest minds 

 scarcely ventured to anticipate were transpiring which should 

 crowd into one generation more discoveries than had been made 

 in the three preceding centuries. 



This intense excitement for discovery in geography and 

 natural science was accompanied by an enthusiasm which made 

 itself felt even in the literature of the day, supplying language 

 with the most glowing images, the most gorgeous colouring, 

 and inspiring even the prose writings of that time with the 

 most daring flights of imagination. We have but to call to 

 mind Buffon's < Epoques de la Nature' (1778), Bernardin de 

 St.-Pierre's 'Etudes de la Nature' (1784), and 'Paul et Vir- 

 ginie' (1788), as well as the writings of Playfair or the descrip- 

 tions of Greorge Forster. 



Can we wonder, then, if under such exciting circumstances 

 the youth's passion for travel, his thirst for knowledge and 

 the investigation of nature, should inflame with ever increasing 

 enthusiasm ! 



On January 6, 1779, occurred the unexpected death of Major 

 von Humboldt, the result of a merely casual illness ; this event 

 was the more unlocked for, since his usual good health had 

 given promise of a long life'i It is possible that his removal 

 may be regarded almost as a fortuitous circumstance, as, from 

 his high military position, he might probably have viewed with 

 impatience the tastes developed in his sons, and considered the 

 .gratification of such tastes derogatory to their position in 

 society. The loss of their father produced no change in their 

 mode of life. To their mother, as the natural guardian of her 

 sons, was committed the charge of their property and the 

 management of all their affairs, so that the youths continued 

 to remain under her watchful care, and under the intellectual 

 guidance of their tutor Kunth. 



The physical constitution of Alexander was of such a nature 

 as to prevent so early a development of intellectual power as 

 occurred in the case of his brother William. In making a 

 retrospect of his early education, William remarks concerning 

 himself, c that from his earliest years he could scarcely repress 

 the desire to see and know as much as possible about every- 

 thing that surrounded him, and was not content until every 



