186 SKETCH OP THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS 



of Louis Philippe to the throne, was announced. 

 Humboldt, who had been for some time on 

 intimate terms with the family of Orleans, was 

 chosen as the representative of the King of 

 Prussia, and proceeded in the month of Sep- 

 tember to Paris, in order to congratulate the 

 new dynasty. He was at the same time charged 

 to furnish the King of Prussia with the assent 

 of the Court of France with reports con- 

 cerning political affairs. In this capacity he 

 remained from September 1830 to May 1832 ; 

 and again during the years 1834-35, he resided 

 in Paris, the appointed political agent of 

 Prussia. 



On every suitable occasion, his grateful 

 fatherland offered to him the homage due to 

 his remarkable activity, extraordinary achieve- 

 ments, and superior knowledge, though his 

 characteristic modesty resisted the appellation 

 of being the first man of learning in Europe, and 

 he pointed to Arago and Gauss as his superiors. 



From every assembly of German physicists 

 he received either a respectful invitation, or 

 in latter years a hearty greeting, which he at 

 all times cordially acknowledged. In August, 

 1858, the University of Jena invited him to 

 their jubilee, to which he replied in the follow- 

 ing significant words : " My diligence, my 



