RESIDENCE AT BERLIN TO THE REVOLUTION OF JULY. 137 



brought before the attention of the Association. Its necessity 

 had become evident to Humboldt from the immense field of 

 labour afforded in each department of science. It was princi- 

 pally through the introduction of these sections that the 

 meeting at Berlin in 1828 became a marked epoch in the 

 history of the Association. If its remembrance was long- 

 cherished by all who took part in that assembly, the cause 

 may truthfully be ascribed to the successful manner in which 

 Humboldt fulfilled his duties as host. 



The entertainment of the ' 600 friends ' referred to in the 

 invitation to Gauss, took place at the theatre on the evening 

 of the 18th. 'Herr von Humboldt gave a tea,' relates Varn- 

 hagen, ' to which half the town was invited ; the king looked 

 on from the royal box, while the crown prince along with the 

 other princes mixed with the company below, and entered into 

 conversation both with foreigners and Germans.' The crown 

 prince and the Duke of Cumberland had been present at the 

 opening meeting in the forenoon. 'The fete was of great 

 magnificence; a large transparency designed by Schinkel 

 displayed the names of illustrious Germans, distinguished in 

 the past for their achievements in science ' at the head stood 

 Copernicus and Kepler fc the hospitality was profuse ; the flow 

 of conversation was broken at intervals by music and singing ; 

 the guests assembled at six, and dispersed soon after nine 

 o'clock.' Equally agreeable were the meetings for the mid- 

 day meal in the riding-school, where even the ill-disposed were 

 warmed into good-humour. Herr von Kamptz was seen 

 walking to table arm in arm with Oken, apparently in a state 

 of extreme satisfaction with his new acquaintance. Humboldt 

 was everywhere present, at the various sections, at the general 

 meetings, at the botanic garden, and between whiles in this 

 or that ' mauvaise taverne,' as, with the luxuries of Paris 

 fresh in his memory, he termed the various refreshment-rooms, 

 ordering a breakfast for Gauss or Muffling, Eadowitz or 

 Dirichlet, for Berzelius, Heinrich Eose, and Magnus, or perhaps 

 a dinner for Babbage. In the presence of Babbage he sus- 

 pected the cause of the absence of Sabine, whose name he had 

 ' with pride inserted in the list of the 400 expected guests and / 

 combatants ; ' for, as he used to say in jest, ' among two Eng- 



