352 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



these were Grmelin, Grass, Tieck, the two Eippenhausen, Carsten, 

 Schick, Thorwaldsen, EauchJ and Schinkel, men who by their 

 labours in painting and sculpture were inaugurating a new era 

 in the history of art. 



To Alexander Humboldt the society assembling at the house 

 of his brother afforded the keenest enjoyment, and most agree- 

 .able stimulus. While enchanting a circle of eager listeners by 

 his descriptions of the grandeur of nature in the New World, 

 the new life aroused within him by the contemplation of the 

 impressive monuments of Roman antiquity inspired him with 

 fresh impetus and new images for instructive comparison. 

 While contributing to his brother's philological studies the 

 valuable data he had gathered among the dialects of America, 

 he found among the treasures of the libraries and museums at 

 Eome both manuscripts and ancient memorials, which afforded 

 valuable elucidation of the antiquities he had met with in 

 America. In these researches he met with a willing guide and 

 assistant in the celebrated archaeologist Zoega. Humboldt 

 was also indebted to this visit to Eome for much valuable as- 

 sistance in other branches of his undertaking ; and many of the 

 maps and illustrations in his geographical and pictorial atlases 

 bear the name of the artists with whom he made acquaintance 

 at the villa of William von Humboldt. 1 



Even Nature herself seemed intent on favouring Humboldt 

 during this visit to Italy : Vesuvius gave warning of an ap- 

 proaching eruption, and afforded an inducement so irresistible 

 for visiting Naples, that, on July 15, Humboldt and Gray-Lussac 

 set out thither, accompanied by Leopold von Buch, who had 

 just then arrived in Eome. It may well be imagined the 

 interest this expedition must have had for Humboldt, in being 

 able to discuss with such companions his experiences in America, 

 and compare the phenomena he had witnessed there with the 

 volcanic disturbances of Vesuvius. 



All the time that could be spared during their stay at Naples 



1 ( I have had a great many drawings executed here ; I have met with 

 artists who have been able to make pictures from even rny slightest sketches, 

 and the} 7 have drawn for me the Rio Vinagre, the bridge of Icononco, and 

 theCayambe. . . . Dergia is in possession of a valuable collection of Mexican 

 manuscripts, from which I intend to publish several plates, and am having 

 them engraved here.' Humboldt to JBonpland, ' Rome, June 10, 1S05/ 

 (De la Roquette, ' Humboldt, Correspondance, etc.' vol. i. p. 177.) 



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