410 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



rate height was latterly much bent, and los^ much of its just 

 proportion. Although presenting little to gratify the eye of 

 an artist, he sat repeatedly to sculptors and painters. In 

 middle life he was painted several times by Gerard. Among 

 the numerous portraits taken in advanced life the following are 

 the most worthy of notice : The well-known picture by Karl 

 Begas, painted for the Gallery of Knights of the Order of 

 Merit, that by Eduard Hildebrandt, one by Madame Graggiotti, 

 and one by Julius Schrader, painted in 1859 ; they have all 

 been consulted in forming the third portrait in this biography, 

 the foundation for which rests upon the drawing by Hilde- 

 brandt. The second portrait, forming the frontispiece to this 

 volume, possesses, in comparison with Grerard's pictures, which 

 were taken at the same time, a remarkably earnest expression, 

 a characteristic often to be noticed in self-painted portraits. 

 The frontispiece to the first volume, representing Humboldt in 

 his youth, has, notwithstanding the unpleasantness of the lower 

 part of the face, the appearance of a faithful likeness. Of the 

 busts, the second, sculptured by Eauch in 1851, is the most 

 true to nature, although it may perhaps be considered as some- 

 what insipid it forms the model for those usually sold ; the 

 bust by Grustav Blaser is the most imposing, while the most 

 sumptuous is that by David d' Angers. 



- Frequent were Humboldt's allusions to the ' wonderful pre- 

 servation ' of his health. Eepeated attacks of influenza during 

 his latter years, though wearisome, were not dangerous. It was 

 on these occasions, when confined to bed, that he excited in his 

 friends admiration for his patience and cheerful amiability. At 

 the close of life he suffered much from an annoying cutaneous 

 eruption, ' a milky way of irritating millet-seeds,' as he used to 

 term it. For the talent of Schonlein, his medical attendant, he 

 had the highest regard. The stroke of apoplexy by which he 

 was attacked on February 24, 1857, passed rapidly away, as if 

 it had indeed been but a ' lightning flash.' In the winter of 

 ^858 he appeared evidently more feeble; after April 21, 1859, 

 he no longer left his bed, and from May 3 the daily bulletins 

 of his medical attendants announced a rapid diminution of 

 strength. His intellect remained clear to the last ; his voice 

 became gradually weaker, till on the last .day he contented 



