74 AUTOBIOGRAPHY. 



He was capable of the most generous actions. 

 When old, much out of health, and quite unfit for any 

 exertion, he daily visited (as Hooker told me) an 

 old man-servant, who lived at a distance (and whom 

 he supported), and read aloud to him. This is enough 

 to make up for any degree of scientific penuriousness 

 or jealousy. 



I may here mention a few other eminent men, 

 whom I have occasionally seen, but I have little to 

 say about them worth saying. I felt a high reverence 

 for Sir J. Herschel, and was delighted to dine with 

 him at his charming house at the Cape of Good Hope^ 

 and afterwards at his London house. I saw him, also, 

 on a few other occasions. He never talked much, but 

 every word which he uttered was worth listening to. 



I once met at breakfast at Sir R. Murchison's house 

 the illustrious Humboldt, who honoured me by ex- 

 pressing a wish to see me. I was a little disappointed 

 with the great man, but my anticipations probably 

 were too high. I can remember nothing distinctly 

 about our interview, except that Humboldt was very 

 cheerful and talked much. 



reminds me of Buckle whom I once met at 



Hensleigh Wedgwood's. I was very glad to learn from 

 him his system of collecting facts. He told me that 

 he bought all the books which he read, and made 

 a full index, to each, of the facts which he thought 

 might prove serviceable to him, and that he could 

 always remember in what book he had read any- 

 thing, for his memory was wonderful. I asked him 

 how at first he could judge what facts would be 



