12 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



ranees that it is ready prepared at home do not help us 

 in the least. I am bound to reiterate these appeals, because 

 I have just paid Willdenow 3,000 francs in advance for the 

 " Species," and because the public, being under the impression 

 that you have for the last two years completely lost all 

 interest in science, will not be anxious for a new work on 

 botany before the first is completed. Herr Willdenow is, I 

 presume, already on his way here ; I do not understand why he 

 had the money remitted to him at Berlin. I hope, my dear 

 Bonpland, that we shall soon see you here. I embrace you 

 affectionately, and in the course of a month I shall know 

 whether you still love me sufficiently to gratify my wishes. 

 Gray sends remembrances. 



' HUMBOLDT.' 



This letter affords a characteristic picture of the two friends, 

 not only in the relationships they sustained to each other, but 

 also in their mutual connection with science. It may be re- 

 marked in passing, that Humboldt's pecuniary difficulties 

 appear to have been removed, probably in consequence of his 

 letter to Forell, since it would have been impossible for him 

 otherwise to have paid without hesitation so large a sum as 

 3,000 francs towards the publication of a botanical work. 



The dilatoriness exhibited by Bonpland in these labours, 

 which seems to have exerted no disturbing influence on the 

 friendship felt towards him by Humboldt, may perhaps be best 

 explained by the supposition that he scarcely felt equal to the 

 task of describing such a collection of botanical treasures, and 

 that his knowledge of botany was not sufficiently extensive 

 to enable him to fulfil in a satisfactory manner the demands 

 made upon him by such an undertaking. In every possible 

 way Humboldt sought the advancement of his friend. Thus 

 in a letter to M. Martin, one of the editors of the ' Journal 

 des Debats,' he writes on November 19, 1814: 1 . . . ' I have 

 two requests to make to you. One is to bring into notice 

 my friend and travelling-companion, M. Bonpland, and the 

 other to state that three-fourths of the works announced upon 



1 De la Roquette, vol. i. p. 202. 



