258 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



the best and most original source of information concerning 

 his travels in America ; but a subject of greater regret is the 

 incomplete nature of the narrative, as the work includes but a 

 third of his wanderings in the New Continent. The omissions, 

 unfortunately, can be but sparingly supplied from his journals; 

 for, as he expresses himself on one occasion in his diary, c when 

 surrounded by the grand beauties of nature, and intently occu- 

 pied with the natural phenomena displayed at every step, one 

 is little disposed to note down in a journal merely personal 

 adventures or the trivial occurrences of every-day life.' Though 

 Humboldt kept a brief journal when actually travelling, either 

 by land or water, in which to keep a record of the impressions 

 of the moment when visiting an interesting locality, such as 

 the summit of a volcano or other remarkable mountain, yet 

 this journal, he remarks, was continually interrupted whenever 

 he entered a town, or engaged in any absorbing scientific 

 work, which rendered the keeping of a diary a matter of sub- 

 ordinate interest. 1 



The remark attributed to Humboldt that, c the biography of 

 a man of learning is to be found in his works,' 2 was no doubt 

 an expression he made use of for the purpose of allaying the 

 importunity with which he was frequently assailed for bio- 

 graphical material by industrious bookmakers. 



We are fortunately able in this section, as in the preceding- 

 one, to avail ourselves of Humboldt's letters and portions of his 

 journals, in which not only the details of his personal history 

 and the scenes around him are portrayed with the vividness of 

 life pictures, but the impressions of the moment are given with 

 all the warmth and freshness of a first sensation. 



It does not enter into the plan of this work to give an ab- 

 stract of the ' Travels in Equatorial Eegions,' or discuss the 

 value of the scientific work accomplished during that journey ; 

 our aim is rather to bring into greater prominence than has 

 ever yet been done the personal history of Humboldt. 



1 l Reise in die Aequinoctialgegenden des Neuen Continents/ vol. i. p. 

 33 (Tubingen, 1815). 



2 Klencke, f Alexander von Humboldt, ein biographisches Denkmal/ 

 Introduction, p. 4. 



