176 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



for the unveiling of nature. Goethe 1 felt highly honoured 

 ' by the dedication in a manner so gratifying of this important 

 work,' and remarks that ' out of early and ever increasing 

 friendship for the noble author, and incited by this fresh token 

 of a sympathy so flattering,' he threw himself eagerly into 

 the study of the work, and as the illustration belonging to 

 it was not yet completed, he himself drew, in illustration of 

 the text, a ' conventional picture,' and dedicated this ' symbolic 

 landscape' to the friend to whom, as he said, its existence 

 was to be ascribed. 2 



When Humboldt sent to Groethe, on June 6, 1816, a copy of 

 his work, 'Thoughts on the Physiognomy of Growth,' 3 the 

 poet was in affliction from the death of his wife, and acknow- 

 ledged the gift on June 12 by the following verses : 



In sorrow's darkest hour 



Your book arrived to cheer me in my grief, 



It urged with power 



That I should seek in labour for relief; 



The world still wreathes itself in blossoms fair 



By Nature's laws, eternal in their force : 



These were to thee of joy the constant source, 



Then let such pleasures banish thy despair. 4 



Humboldt recognised in Groethe not only a distinguished 

 botanist, but also a successful student of optics and osteology. 

 He classed his descriptions of nature with those of Forster, 

 Buffon, and Bernardin de St.-Pierre, as characterised by inimi- 

 table truth, and he frequently quoted his 'Aphorisms on the 



1 ' Jahres- und Tageshefte.' 



2 This print first appeared in 1813, with some pages of letterpress, in 

 vol. xli. of ' Geographische Ephemeriden ; ' it was subsequently published 

 in a separate form in folio, and has also been reproduced in Paris. Thor- 

 waldsen's print has become very scarce. 



3 ' Ideen zu einer Physiognomik der Gewachse.' 



4 ' An Trauertagen 



Gelangte zu mir Dein herrlich Heft, 



Es schien zu sagen : 



Ermanne dich zu frohlichem Geschaft ; 



Die Welt in alien Zonen grunt und bliiht 



Nach ewigen beweglichen Gesetzen : 



Das wusstest du ja sonst zu schatzen, 



Erheitre. so durch mich dein schwer bedrangt Gemiith ! ' 



