CHAKACTERISTIC TRAITS AND PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 57 



corners of Paris, climbing into all the attics of the Quartier 

 Latin, searching out half- starved enthusiasts, or young stu- 

 dents of science occupied with some special investigation. . . . 

 At eleven he breakfasts in the Cafe Procope, near the 

 Ocleon, at the left-hand corner, by the window. . . . around 

 him cluster an admiring crowd. The afternoon he spends in 

 Mignet's study at the Bibliotheque Eichelieu. As Mignet 

 never works at all, and Humboldt works a great deal, the 

 former vacates his study during Humboldt's visit. Both 

 the library and the attendants are entirely at his disposal. 

 None but academicians enter unannounced, others only by 

 appointment. . . . He dines at a different place every day, but 

 always with friends and never at an hotel or restaurant. 

 Between ourselves, he is a great talker. He tells a story well, 

 discourses with much wit and intelligence, so that it is a 

 pleasure to listen to him. No Frenchman has more esprit. 

 He never sits long after dinner half an hour at the most 

 and then he takes his leave. He goes at least to five recep- 

 tions every evening, and on each occasion relates the same 

 incidents with variations. After he has talked for about half an 

 hour, he rises, makes a bow, and then retiring with some one 

 into a recess for a few minutes' whispered conversation, he 

 .slips away quietly to the door. His carriage waits below. At 

 midnight he drives home.' 



Quetelet, who visited Paris in 1822 for the purpose of 

 'Completing his astronomical studies, found Humboldt living 

 near the Pont Neuf, opposite the Hotel des Monnaies, and 

 occupying commodious apartments though in an upper story. 

 At his first visit he failed to meet with him, and after many 

 fruitless efforts to find him at home, he received at length from 

 Humboldt who always wished to know beforehand who were 

 going to visit him a very gracious invitation. 



c I did not fail,' he remarks in his ' Notices sur le Baron 

 F. A. H. de Humboldt ' (Brussels, 1860), c to accept this invita- 

 tion, and had reason to congratulate myself upon so doing, for 

 the illustrious physicist took me to the Institute, which I had 

 not previously visited, and introduced me to his friends. An. 

 introduction from him would have rendered every other super- 

 fluous, even had I possessed any.' 



