70 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



c Fridericus Alexander ab Humboldt, Berolinensis juris stu- 

 diosus, ex academia Viadrina.' 



It was in this year that the startling events of the French 

 Revolution burst upon Europe, and without doubt the lightning- 

 flash of this terrific storm blazed above the horizon of the 

 two Humboldts. William went immediately to Paris with 

 Campe, ' to assist at the obsequies of French despotism,' 

 while Alexander only paid a flying visit there a year later, 

 when travelling with George Forster. During his stay at 

 Gottingen, Humboldt took up his residence at No. 82, Ween- 

 derstrasse, and lived in the same house as the young Count, 

 afterwards Prince Metternich. 



The number of students at that time in the University was 

 812, of whom 210 were registered as students of theology, 405 

 of jurisprudence, 104 of medicine, and 93 of philosophy, under 

 which were included mathematics, philology, agriculture, 

 history, and aesthetics. Among the fellow-students of Hum- 

 boldt were two of the English royal princes, Ernest Augustus, 

 afterwards King of Hanover, and Adolphus Frederick, Duke of 

 Sussex ; l also fourteen nobles of the rank of Count, of whom 

 those who most distinguished themselves in after life were the 

 Counts de Broglie and St.-Simon from Paris, Count von Ein- 

 siedel from Saxony, Count von Meerfeldt from Westphalia, and 

 Count Metternich. Among other contemporaries of Humboldt 

 the following names are also worthy of notice : Yon Vincke from 

 Osnabriick, Von Nagler from Onolzbach, and Von Kamptz from 

 Mecklenburg all of whom afterwards rose to distinction and 

 held some of the highest offices in the Prussian Government. 

 In addition may be mentioned Oltmanns, a native of Friedland, 

 who subsequently rendered much valuable assistance to Hum- 

 boldt in the astronomical department of his work on America, 

 and Van Geuns of Groningen, a geologist, who accompanied 

 Humboldt in his journey to England and the Lower Ehine. 



The University of Gottingen was just then at the height of 



1 ' While there I received many distinguishing marks of favour from the 

 English princes, whose governor, General Malortie, was strongly attached 

 to our family, and would gladly have taken the surveillance of my brother 

 and myself.' Alexander von Humloldt to Pictet, in ' Le Globe,' vol. vii. 

 p. 181. 



