TRAVELS IN ASIATIC RUSSIA. 385 



Latin, from a third in French, standing all the while in the 

 corridor, where it was impossible to remain for an instant with- 

 out being chilled through for months. Humboldt patiently 

 listened to all these harangues with uncovered head, and 

 replied to each of them. I do not believe that the great 

 investigator ever experienced as many discomforts from the 

 painted savages among whom he had travelled, as were prepared 

 for him by the ceremonious festivities of his reception at 

 Moscow. 1 



' When Humboldt had at last entered the saloon and taken 

 his seat, the proceedings were still conducted in the same 

 ceremonious manner. Pissarew, the curator of the University, 

 considered it necessary to read out a kind of order of the day 

 in the Russian language before a silent audience, on the merits 

 of his Excellency the great traveller. Then Sergei Glinka, 

 with his hoarse soldier's voice, recited a poem beginning : 

 " Humboldt, Promethee de nos jours." 



'Meanwhile Humboldt's intentions had been to discuss his 

 observations on the deviation of the magnetic needle, and to 

 compare the meteorological data he had obtained in the Ural 

 Mountains with the results registered at Moscow. Instead, 

 he was expected to look with devout admiration on a plait 

 made from the venerated hair of Peter the Grreat, shown to 

 him by the rector. It was with great difficulty that his com- 



1 Even during his first visit to Moscow Humboldt complained to his 

 brother, in a letter dated May 14 (26), that * This perpetual ceremonial (sad 

 necessity of my position and of the noble hospitality of the country) becomes 

 very fatiguing.' At Kazan it was still more annoying ; fete followed after 

 fete. At one o'clock in the morning he wrote to his brother : 'We are 

 to start to-morrow morning at five o'clock, and the professors and authorities 

 threaten to come at half-past four to take leave. We are not left alone 

 a single instant.' At lekaterinbourg, on June 21, he was obliged to 

 dance a quadrille ! At Miask, on the sixtieth anniversary of his birthday, 

 he was honoured by the presentation of a sword from the mining officials. 

 In the plains near Orenbourg a Kirghissian festival was held, in which the 

 entertainment consisted of races, wrestling matches, and, ' unfortunately, 

 also of vocal music performed by the Tartar sultanas.' The ceremonial 

 presentations, the fetes, the distinctions of all kinds repeated everywhere, 

 ' d'apres des ordres emane's d'en haut/ drew from him the remark ' : This 

 excess of politeness deprives me of all opportunity of being alone and at 

 my ease.' 



YOL. I. C C 



