54 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



The scientific results received from time to time from the- 

 expedition to Egypt were viewed by Humboldt with the keenest 

 interest. The French explorers of the East and the mysterious 

 sources of the Nile found in the illustrious American traveller 

 one who regarded their labours with the most appreciative 

 sympathy. To this an eloquent testimony is afforded in his 

 letters to Jomard, Champollion, and Letronne. Jomard, the 

 celebrated geographer and Egyptian antiquary born in 

 1777, died in 1862 was for more than half a century the 

 friend of Humboldt, to whom he was continually rendering- 

 various acts of courtesy ; for Humboldt not only frequently in- 

 troduced to him foreigners of distinction with the request 

 that he would conduct them through the collections of an- 

 tiquities in Paris, but did not hesitate on one occasion to bring^ 

 before his notice a governess, Mademoiselle Bourdean. During a 

 correspondence that was maintained for many years, Humboldt 

 was incessantly applying for information on a variety of sub- 

 jects from his learned friend. Thus he writes from Paris on 

 December 30, 1816 : 'If it were allowable to disturb the bliss 

 of a honeymoon, I should like to ask my esteemed friend, M.. 

 Jomard, to have the kindness to send me, for one of my experi- 

 ments, the temperature of St. Joseph's Well at Cairo. Kindest 

 regards.' This, no doubt, refers to the remarkable well in the 

 citadel of Cairo, called Joseph's Well, where water is raised at 

 two stages from a depth of 277 feet. 



The friendly footing on which he stood to the brothers 

 Champollion was often the ground for mutual acts of courtesy.. 

 * You know,' he writes to one of them, 1 ' how greatly I revere 

 your name, and appreciate the illustrious position won by your 

 noble father. ... It would afford me much gratification if 

 you would lend the splendour of your name to secure the elec- 

 tion, as one of the corresponding members of your Academy, of 

 M. Lepsius now conducting our expedition in Egypt who 

 has always shown himself devoted to your interests. My 

 sovereign, who has a high personal regard for Lepsius, would 

 be gratified by his receiving such an honour. . . . You and 

 your brother may be almost said to constitute a new Egyptian 



1 De la Koquette, vol. ii. pp. 261, 286. 



