OFFICIAL EMPLOYMENT. 157 



I exhibited the drawing of my new lamp to the general officers, 

 and explained its use in military service. This and Desaix's 

 taste for chemistry drew us much together, and I found my 

 intimacy with him of essential advantage in the execution of 

 my mission. 



' At Stuttgard I witnessed some balloon practice. General 

 Eeynier made the ascent, and invited me to accompany him, 

 but unfortunately I had not long enough notice, and I could not 

 keep the hussars I had with me waiting. The sight of the 

 ascent is quite enough to remove all trace of fear, and I shall 

 regret as long as I live that I missed this opportunity.' l 



After his return to Bayreuth in the autumn of 1796, he was 

 again occupied in various scientific labours, while he at the 

 same time prosecuted his investigations on subterranean meteor- 

 ology. In connection with this subject he endeavoured to 

 enlist national co-operation in the erection of a series of eudo- 

 metric stations a plan he was unable to accomplish, from the 

 unsettled state of Europe at that time. After his discovery of 

 the magnetic serpentine rocks at Grefrees, he devoted himself 

 with great zeal to the study of terrestrial magnetism, and pub- 

 lished several small treatises on the subject in various perio- 

 dicals. He was anxious by this means to incite others to make 

 investigations of a more extended character, and thought ' it 

 would be well to throw such a shell into the world of science as 

 should arouse to action.' 



In the meantime his resolution of leaving all official employ- 

 ment in order to gratify his increasing desire for extensive 

 travel continued to gain strength. He had already determined 

 to go to Italy the following May, 'even if my mother be still 

 living.' The minister had indulged the hope of being able to 

 bind him to engage in the service at some future time, by 

 offering him the continuance of his salary, but Humboldt 

 addressed Baron von Schuckmann on the subject in the fol- 

 lowing terms : 



' I cannot consent to the minister's proposal that I should 

 retain my salary. I would willingly follow the counsel of my 



1 General St.-Cyr had reconnoitred the enemy for the space of a month 

 with & Conte Balloon (Ballon captif), while Moreau was accustomed to say : 

 * Moi, je prefere le chemin des anes.' 



