144 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



young man of winning manners and finished education, gifted 

 with a noble character, and devoted to the pursuit of science. 

 Humboldt accorded him his most intimate friendship, often 

 residing with him under the same roof, and writing whole 

 pages full of enthusiastic expressions in his praise. 



In conclusion, he says of him : c I learnt to appreciate 

 him from his conduct in taking my part, . . . circumstances 

 of great moment in social life, my gratitude therefore, 

 my ' . . . . 



The following lines, torn away by some discreet hand, pro- 

 bably contained the confession of an attachment, which, ac- 

 cording to a distinct and circumstantial statement of Kunth 

 the botanist, existed between Humboldt and the sister of 

 his friend Von Haften, and which, though faithfully cherished 

 for upwards of ten years, was never consummated by the union 

 so ardently desired. 



This glimpse into a part of the inner subjective life of Hum- 

 boldt is no reckless exposure of one of the deepest secrets of his 

 heart ; it is here referred to merely as a means of shedding a 

 fresh gleam of light upon the true humanity of the character 

 of this remarkable man. Humboldt was not placed by nature 

 beyond the reach of ordinary human sensibilities, but the un- 

 conquerable desire for a course of many years' adventurous 

 travel, the necessity for being in a state of continual readiness 

 for a change of residence, and his unreserved devotion to 

 science, all exacted from him the ruthless sacrifice of the 

 comforts of a stationary home, and the sweet happiness of 

 domestic ties. Such was the sacrifice of the affections made 

 by Humboldt to the shrine of science. 



On one occasion, when Humboldt's affectionate disposition 

 had evinced itself in an enthusiastic apostrophe to his friend 

 Freiesleben, he suddenly broke off with the expression: 'Haften, 

 who is looking over my shoulder, asks in astonishment how it 

 is possible we can still go on addressing each other as Sie 

 [you]. I could give him no satisfactory reason, so I laid the 

 blame on you. Let us therefore at once renounce this piece of 

 formality, though we cannot thereby become more like bro- 

 thers ; ' . . . and so the confidential Du [thou] ever after took 

 the place of Sie. 



