398 ALEXANDEK VON HUMBOLDT. 



The stranger of rank or distinction would pay bis visit of 

 ceremony ; the man of science would present his latest work 

 or request a letter of introduction : even the student, if unfor- 

 tunately admitted under the plea of borrowing a book, would 

 endeavour to entangle the venerable philosopher, who smilingly 

 evades the subject, in a discourse on 4 Immortality.' * Of the 

 charm of Humboldt's conversation there is but one opinion. 

 ' Humboldt is the only one,' remarked Dove, 2 ' who ever made 

 me think it was possible to causer in German.' In his con- 

 versation there was a happy combination of the brilliancy of 

 French esprit with the gravity of Berlin sarcasm, the point of 

 which he generally managed to turn good-humouredly against 

 himself; over all he uttered, whether wit or philosophy, there 

 flowed a clear stream of gracious suavity. No one knew so 

 well how to please, gratify, and flatter. The historian Rudolf 

 Kopke sent to him, as a friend of Tieck, a copy of his work 

 upon the poet. Some days after he called upon Humboldt, 

 and through an error in the announcement of his name was 

 greeted by the philosopher as a Frenchman, the author of a 

 work on electricity, and overwhelmed by a volley of compli- 

 mentary phrases. With some difficulty Kopke at length suc- 

 ceeded, during a momentary pause, in bringing in some refer- 

 ence to Tieck, who had once employed expressions of a similar 

 character, for which reason he had ventured to present to his 

 Excellency a copy of his little work upon the poet. With a, 

 sudden rejoinder of 'Ah, the dear good Tieck!' Humboldt,, 

 upon perceiving his mistake, at once passed into the new posi- 

 tion of affairs without a moment's embarrassment, or the be- 

 trayal of the slightest surprise. 



Thus visit followed visit ; every one receiving his full share 

 of personal attention, which perhaps, from its universality, 

 might in truth be called impersonal less than human or more 

 than human, according to the aspect in which it is viewed. 

 The sunshine of his good nature fell equally on the evil and 

 the good, just as his sarcasms rained alike upon the just and 

 the unjust. The gracious demeanour he preserved towards 

 every one bore the stamp of Royalty, and the manner in which 



1 ' Briefwechsel mit einem jungen Freunde/ p. 80. 



2 H. W. Dove's ' Gedachtnissrede/ p. 10. 



