184 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



others recognise it as the symbol of Keason governing Desire. 

 The hoary-headed philosopher Epicharmus alone sees in the 

 pictures the image of Life and the image of Death, according 

 to the teaching of the Pythagorean school of philosophy, and is 

 represented by Humboldt as instructing his pupils in the 

 following strain : ' Here, in the Grenius of Rhodes, in the ex- 

 pression of his youthful strength, the butterfly upon his shoulder, 

 the commanding glance of his eye, we recognise the symbol of 

 the principle of Life as it animates every germ of organic 

 being. The terrestrial elements at his feet strive eagerly to 

 follow their own instincts, and mingle with each other. With 

 authority the Grenius threatens them with his uplifted blazing- 

 torch, and, unmindful of Nature's rights, constrains them to 

 'obey his law. There, in the second picture, the butterfly has 

 disappeared, the torch is extinguished, and the heao^of the 

 youth is bowed down. The principle of Life is annihilated. 

 This is the image of Death. The youths and maidens joyfully 

 clasp each other, the terrestrial elements in their chemical 

 affinities assert their ancient rule. Loosed from their fetters, 

 they follow wildly their impulse for assimilation. The day of 

 death is to them a bridal day, they are united in chemical 

 affinity.' 



Through the philosopher Epicharmus, Humboldt gave ex- 

 pression to his own thoughts. The narrative was a homage from 

 the natural philosopher to the poet in accordance with the 

 scientific views of the time. The origin of this Orphean poem 

 and its explanation is not to be found in the halls of art at 

 Ehodes, but in the class-books of physiology and the lecture- 

 rooms of the medical schools of Humboldt's own time. 



But the essay with its deep symbolism was compelled to 

 yield to the searching investigations of pure science. The 

 germ of its own destruction was contained within itself, since 

 it attempted the solution of a problem in science. Such 

 problems, however, are not solved by the poet, but by the na- 

 tural philosopher. Would Humboldt succeed, the mere poet 

 must give place to the investigator of science. 



This poetical effusion appeared in the 'Horen' in June 1795, 

 and on December 14 of the same year Humboldt wrote to 

 Freiesleben: ><I have discovered a new definition of the 



