CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS AND PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 55 



dynasty, without whom nothing should be accomplished that is 

 connected with a realm that you have so successfully explored.' 

 Favours solicited with so much amiability were rarely denied 

 to the importunate pleader. 



Humboldt's letters to Letronne, whose lectures upon archaeo- 

 logy he attended in Paris in the year 1831, may be regarded as 

 some of the most beautiful specimens of intellectual writing to 

 be met with among the casual productions of a great mind ; they 

 contain short but important treatises upon historical and geo- 

 graphical subjects, and are replete with brilliant ideas, wit, and 

 sarcasm, to which the one letter written upon the death of his 

 beloved brother affords a touching and melancholy contrast. 



That Humboldt should have felt attracted towards these 

 eminent Egyptian antiquaries will be no subject of surprise 

 when we remember how nearly Egypt, instead of South America, 

 had been the field of his explorations. We are not, however, 

 to suppose that the interest he manifested in ancient Egypt 

 was not extended to other nations and other epochs in the 

 history of art. He displayed an equal interest in Greece and 

 Italy, and was alike attracted by the productions of modern 

 genius. His familiar acquaintance with architecture in its 

 various styles is shown in his correspondence with Hittorff, 

 an architect from Cologne, who became so enamoured of Paris 

 as to make it his residence, and was employed in the construc- 

 tion of some of the imposing buildings of the empire. 



It will easily be understood that an industry so compre- 

 hensive as that displayed by Humboldt could only be attained 

 by the most systematic employment of time; and, indeed, 

 throughout his whole life, wherever practicable, he adhered to 

 the same daily routine. He rose before eight in the morning ; 

 at eight, when in Paris, he usually went to visit his friend 

 Arago, or repaired to the Institute, where he carried on his 

 scientific work ; between eleven and twelve o'clock he took a 

 slight breakfast, and then resumed work till seven, the hour 

 for dinner ; after which the evenings up to midnight were 

 devoted to the claims of society, and from twelve till two, or 

 half-past two, he was again employed in study. To ensure 

 freedom from interruption, he often selected for his abode out- 

 lying and unfrequented situations; in 1808 his letters are 



