LITTLE It took two years to issue the first volume, but the 

 JOURNEYS others then came along more rapidly, yet it was ten 



years before the last book of the set was published. 

 QThe total expenditure required in issuing this set of 

 books was over a million francs, or to be exact, two 

 hundred and twenty-six thousand dollars. 

 The cost of a set of these books to subscribers was two 

 thousand five hundred and fifty dollars, although there 

 were a few sets containing hand-colored plates and 

 original drawings that were valued at 'twenty thousand 

 dollars. One such set can now be seen at the British 

 Museum. In all only three hundred sets of these books 







were issued. One set at least came to America, for it 

 "was presented to Thomas Jefferson, and I believe is 

 now in the Congressional Library. 



This American Expedition fixed Humboldt's place in 

 history, but after its completion and the record was 

 written out he had still over half a century to live. 



LEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT was 



an atheist at a time when few men could 

 afford the luxury. Very fortunately he had 

 sufficient fortune to place him beyond the 

 reach of the bread-and-butter problem, 

 and his books were written in the language 

 of the esoteric. He did not serve as an iconoclast for the 

 common people his name was never on the tongue of 

 rumor comparatively few, indeed, knew of his exist- 

 ence. His books were issued in de luxe limited edi- 

 118 



