OF BARON HUMBOLDT. 181 



character in every period of his life, in his youth, 

 his manhood, and his old age ; always faithful, 

 always consistent. When he first commenced 

 his geological studies at Freiberg, and was more 

 intimately associated with one of his fellow- 

 students, Freiersleben, with whom he, for the 

 first time, descended into the mines, we find his 

 character already shaped as it appears in his 

 latter days. On that occasion his fellow- student 

 said : " The most prominent features of his 

 amiable character are unwearied kindness, warm 

 sympathy for friends, and love for nature; 

 modesty, simplicity, and sincerity in his whole 

 conduct ; always attractive powers of commu- 

 nication ; a cheerful and humorous disposition." 



Those qualities which assisted him in after- 

 years to obtain the good- will of the savage races, 

 amongst whom he lived for a long time, and in 

 the civilized world everywhere admiration and 

 sympathy ; the same traits of character gained 

 him, in his early youth, the general friendship 

 and love of his fellow-students. 



The expressions of Gothe, after Humboldt 

 had paid him a short visit in December, 1826, 

 indicate the further development of his cha- 

 racter. In a state of considerable excitement, 

 Gothe said to Eckermann, who entered his 

 room soon after Humboldt' s departure : 



