CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS AND PERSONAL INCIDENTS. 59 



of the Brussels Observatory lias been substantiated by many 

 other learned men. 



During a visit to Paris in February 1812, Dorow, 1 one of the 

 secretaries under Hardenberg's administration, was introduced 

 to Baron Alexander von Humboldt by Herr von Crusemark, 

 and was much gratified by the kind and amiable reception he 

 met with : a few days after, Humboldt took him to one of the 

 private sittings of the Institute. . . . c lt was to a Grerman 

 highly gratifying to witness the marked attention he received 

 from everyone. Among those who hastened to greet him were 

 Carnot, Laplace, Cuvier, Lagrange, Eumford, Berthollet, and 

 Benjamin Franklin.' 2 . . . Among the brightest recollections 

 that Dorow retained of his visit to Paris, ever remained the 

 kind reception accorded to him by Humboldt, and the many 

 happy hours he was privileged to spend in his society. ' Hum- 

 boldt was one of those scientific men, so rarely to be met with, 

 who are ever ready to devote themselves to younger men, 

 in order to show them the best mode of acquiring all that is 

 most worth knowing. . . . Humboldt will never leave Paris 

 of his own accord ; nowhere else can such a man exercise his 

 powers to full advantage, there only can he carry his fame un- 

 tarnished to the grave. Of this he seems to be aware, for only 

 in this city of the world does he feel himself perfectly at 

 home.' 



In December 1812, shortly before Dorow's departure, Hum- 

 boldt wrote to him : 



6 In a few days there will be published three more parts of 

 my zoology and botany. I am overwhelmed with correcting the 

 press ; I work in an out-of-the-way part of the town ; the death 

 of Willdenow has plunged me in fresh embarrassment, and this 

 is the reason why I have admitted no one during the last few 

 days. Forgive me for not coming to see you yesterday. The 

 indescribable contrarieties in my work, together with my 

 melancholy mood, often render me quite averse to society.' 

 Humboldt was often able to render valuable service to 



1 Dorow, l Erlebtes aus den Jahren 1790-1827 ' (Leipzig, 1845), vol. iii. 

 pp. 91, 92. 



2 This cannot be the renowned Benjamin Franklin, who died in the year 

 1790. EDITOR. 



