OF BAKON IIUMBOLDT. 115 



Madame de Humboldt, his wife, after a visit to 

 Weimar, remained for some time in Paris, still 

 hoping for the speedy arrival of Alexander, 

 notwithstanding the many sad rumours con- 

 cerning his fate. It appears that in the month 

 of March of that year, Wilhelm received a letter 

 from Havana, in which Alexander announced 

 his immediate return to Europe. A rumour 

 had been widely circulated that Baron Hum- 

 boldt, shortly before his embarkation, had 

 become a victim of the yellow fever, and though 

 this news had not been confirmed, it produced 

 in the family of his brother, at Rome, a con- 

 siderable amount of excitement. We can, 

 therefore, in some degree, imagine the sur- 

 prise of Madame de Humboldt, when, in May, 

 1804, the news of the safe arrival of her 

 renowned brother-in-law, together with his 

 valuable collections, at Bordeaux, was com- 

 municated to the National Institute of Paris, 

 and at once, through the kindness of the Secre- 

 tary, transmitted to her. Equally great was 

 Alexander von Humboldt 's surprise to find, 

 on his arrival in Paris, his sister-in-law, Madame 

 de Humboldt, because he had not expected to 

 see his brother and family before the commence- 

 ment of the following year, at Rome. 



Humboldt commenced, soon after his arrival 



