CHAPTER I. 



HUMBOLDT AT HOME. 



From the time of his return from Central Asia till the 

 day of his death, Humboldt resided in Berlin. His 

 house was in the Oranienburger Strasse, at a little dis- 

 tance from the Spree. It was a quiet neighbourhood, in 

 the northern part of the city, not far from the palace of 

 the King. The palace was his home, too, whenever he 

 chose to make it so ; indeed, during a large portion of 

 the year he might be said to reside with the King. When 

 he gave up Paris for Berlin, he entered into closer rela- 

 tions with his sovereign than was enjoyed by any other 

 person in the kingdom, outside the royal family. The 

 tie that bound them was one of the noblest that ever 

 bound a monarch and his subject. The King honoured 

 Humboldt for his profound wisdom, and Humboldt 

 respected the King for his many excellent qualities. It 

 was a sincere disinterested friendship on both sides. The 

 gain, however, was with the King, rather than with 

 Humboldt, for the rank and emolument that he bestowed 

 upon Humboldt were more than repaid by his society 

 and conversation. 



Besides his palace at Berlin the King had palaces at 

 Potsdam and Charlottenburg. The Charlottenburg 



