APPENDIX. 



1. THE HUMBOLDT HOUSEHOLD. Page 34. 



AN interesting glance into the home-life of the Humboldts is 

 given by Fran Caroline de la Motte Fouque, nee von Briest. 1 She 

 writes to her sister in January 1785, that she has been spending 

 the morning with Fran von Humboldt, and remarks : 



* Everything at the Humboldts' is just as it was. Nothing in the 

 house is changed, neither the people nor anything else. Of course 

 I shall never cease to feel his absence, for his pleasant, cheerful 

 conversation formed always a charming contrast to the quiet and 

 reserved manners of his wife. She, I can assure you, looks exactly 

 as she always did and as she always will do. (JELer coiffure just the 

 same as it was ten years ago or more, always smooth, neat, and. 

 simple. J The same pale countenance and delicately formed features, 

 upon which no trace of emotion is ever visible, the same soft voice, 

 the same cold though sincere greeting, and the same unalterable 

 faithfulness towards all with whom she is connected. She still 

 offers a home to her brother-in-law, his daughter, and the aged aunt ; 

 the old dog Belcastel is still permitted to lie snoring on the sofa ; 

 her equanimity is alike undisturbed by contradiction or domestic 

 troubles. One could almost assert that as one left the family on 

 saying adieu, so one would find everything upon returning after a, 

 year's absence. 



' Of the youths I can assure you that "William, with all his 

 learning, is anything but a pedant ; on the contrary, he is always 

 ready to raise a laugh, and is made an idol of by all the house. It is 

 possible that Fraulein U. . . . may have a little weakness for her 

 young cousin, but the aunt is equally his sworn ally. // Alexander 

 is somewhat of a petit esprit malin. He is, however, 'remarkably 

 talented, and drew both heads and landscapes even before receiving 

 instruction. The walls of his mother's bedroom are hung round with 



1 Caroline Baroninde la Motte Fouqtie, geb. Ton Briest, ' Der Schreibtisch, oder 

 alte und neue Zeit ' (Cologne, 1833), pp. 6, 7. 



