182 SKETCH OF THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS 



" Alexander von Hnmboldt has honoured me 

 with his presence for a few hours this morning. 

 What a remarkable man he is ! Though I have 

 known him some time, I am anew surprised, 

 and ready to say that in thorough knowledge 

 he has no equal, and a universality which I 

 never encountered before. Choose any topic 

 you like, and you will find he is at home. He 

 will remain a few days, and I feel already as if 

 I had lived with him for years." 



We have hitherto endeavoured to notice 

 principally the labours of Alexander von Hum- 

 boldt in a scientific sphere ; but, as he had 

 been likewise honoured with the unconditional 

 confidence of his king and his country, he 

 was charged with various diplomatic missions, 

 though much against his own inclinations. In 

 giving a short resume of his political labours, we 

 find that he undertook his first mission in the 

 year 1794, charged with the inspection of 

 certain mining districts in Prussian Poland, 

 from which he was suddenly called away, in 

 consequence of the war at that period, and 

 he proceeded to the Rhine and to Frankfort, in 

 order to assist in the political deliberations of 

 the Prussian Minister, von Hardenberg, the 

 English Ambassador, the Earl of Malmesbury, 

 and the representative of Holland, Admiral 



