FROM ACCESSION OF FREDERICK WILLIAM IV. TO 1848. 295 



exhibit, in contrast, his noble generosity, as evinced in the 

 history of Eisenstein, in which he appears not only as a bene- 

 volent patron, but as one who laboured in secret for the good of 

 others. 



G-otthold Eisenstein, 1 of Jewish extraction, was the son of a 

 small tradesman of Berlin, and in 1843, when but a youth of 

 twenty, attracted the notice of Humboldt, by a treatise in Crell|, S 

 6 Journal ' exhibiting remarkable mathematical talent. Hum- 

 boldt opened to him his house, and sought in every way to 

 further his progress, not merely by his personal patronage, and 

 the bestowment of pecuniary means, but through introductions 

 to distinguished mathematicians. As early as May, 1844, he 

 obtained for him from the king a yearly pension of 250 thalers ; 

 and on June 14, of the same year on the occasion of his under- 

 taking a ' pilgrimage ' to Gottingen out of veneration for Gauss, 

 furnished him with a letter couched in terms of highest com- 

 mendation. Gauss expressed himself in the warmest manner 

 upon the remarkable gifts of Eisenstein, and shortly after his 

 visit wrote to Humboldt : ' There are many papers written by 

 this young man to which I should gladly put my name : pray 

 assure the king that the youth is gifted with talents such as 

 are possessed by few in a century.' These words were read by 

 Humboldt with the greatest enthusiasm : but he thought within 

 himself : ' So much good fortune never befell me in my youth 

 as to be thus distinguished by Friedrich Gauss.' Nevertheless, 

 'he knew how to rejoice in the happiness of others;' he 

 repeatedly invited Eisenstein to visit him both at Berlin and 

 Potsdam, and when on one occasion he had exceeded his very 

 moderate pension, Humboldt induced the king to make him an 

 advance out of his privy purse. It lies not within our province 

 to pass any opinion as to Eisenstein's moral character, suffice 

 it to say, that it was by many viewed with suspicion : while 

 in Humboldt, the ' illness and melancholy depression ' of his 

 protege excited only the keenest sympathy. In the spring of 

 1846, Humboldt wrote to Gauss requesting him to support a 

 proposition he was going to make to Eichhorn for a private 

 grant to Eisenstein of 600 thalers. ' It will be one of the 



1 From various statements in Zimmermann s ' Humboldtbuch/ vol. ii. 

 pp. 39, 87 -, vol. iii. p. 63 j as well as from several unpublished letters. 



