OF BARON HUMBOLDT. 73 



readily accepted, and lie made all necessary- 

 preparations. He commenced to study the 

 Arabic language, and animated his brother 

 Wilhelm to the study of the multifarious lan- 

 guages of America. Humboldt became soon 

 acquainted with the most celebrated naturalists 

 and mathematicians of Paris ; and here he con- 

 tinued his former researches regarding " the 

 composition of the atmosphere, 5 ' assisted by the 

 celebrated physicist Gay-Lussac. He instituted 

 eudiometric experiments, in order to further 

 the "chemical analysisof the atmosphere," which 

 he repeated in all kinds of weather, and in all 

 seasons. Humboldt rendered important ser- 

 vices to this branch of science. But already, 

 at the commencement of his preparations for 

 the contemplated expedition under Captain 

 Baudin, he experienced new disappointments. 

 Clouds arose on every side ; the political horizon 

 darkened. A renewal of the war in Germany 

 and Italy was imminent, which caused the post- 

 ponement of the intended expedition, because 

 the French Government retained the funds 

 granted for that purpose. He next proposed 

 to accompany an expedition of French natu- 

 ralists to the lower parts of Egypt ; but this 

 also became impossible, because, after the battle 

 of Aboukir which was lost by the French in an 



