38 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



pland and Kunth, Parts V., VI., and VII. of our "Nova 

 Genera," trusting you will receive them with indulgence as 

 the expression of our esteem and admiration. In a work of 

 such extent every part cannot be carried out with equal care, 

 and therefore I would beg of you not to bring our work into 

 comparison, with your own productions. I am happy to say 

 that I almost see the end of this interminable undertaking. 

 In a few days the second volume will be out of our hands.' In 

 reference to the state of Paris, he further adds to his friend at 

 Greneva : ' You will find Paris less disposed than ever to 

 occupy itself with either science or literature. They do but 

 little at the Institute, and quarrel even over that. There is 

 nothing tends so much to the refinement of the character as the 

 study of Nature' This grand truth was never more com- 

 pletely verified than in his own experience. With the es- 

 tablishment of the Eestoration a depressing reaction, extend- 

 ing through every branch of scientific research, had succeeded 

 to the extraordinary impulse given to science, under the 

 brilliant reign of Napoleon. 



Humboldt seems to have been but little occupied with 

 botany during his stay at Paris, as, upon Bonpland's return 

 to South America, the botanical part of the great work was 

 committed to Kunth, who proved himself fully equal to the 

 task. 1 



Among the geological friends with whom Humboldt asso- 

 ciated in Paris may be mentioned the Abbe Rene Just Haily, 

 born in 1743. He laboured successfully in various branches of 

 science, but gained most distinction by his ingenious researches 

 on crystallisation a subject upon which he contributed papers 

 of importance, almost up to the time of his death in 1822, 

 when close upon his eightieth year. 



Next to Haiiy we call to mind his pupil and successor in 

 office at the School of Mines, Alexandre Brongniart, well 

 known as an ingenious and successful student in science. He 

 was born at Paris in 1770, and at the early age of twenty-four 

 gave lectures at the various scientific institutions of Paris, 



1 Through a strange chance, the author was in later years brought into 

 personal contact -with Bonpland. An account of this interview, which took 

 place at Corrientes, is given in the Appendix to vol. i. 



