456 HIS STUDY. 



Berlin he lives with his servant, Seifert, whose name 

 only I found on the door. It was a plain two-story 

 house, with a dull pink front, and inhabited, like most 

 of the houses in German cities, by two or three families. 

 The bell- wire over Seifert's name came from the second 

 story. I pulled: the heavy porte-cochere opened of itself, 

 and I mounted the steps until I reached a second bell-pull, 

 over a plate inscribed ' Alexander Yon Humboldt.' 



" A stout, square-faced man of about fifty, whom I at 

 once recognised as Seifert, opened the door for me. 

 ' Are you Herr Taylor ?' he asked : and added, on re- 

 ceiving my reply : ' His Excellency is read}- to receive 

 you.' He ushered me into a room, filled with stuffed 

 birds and other objects of natural history ; then into a 

 large library which apparently contained the gifts of 

 authors, artists, and men of science. I walked between 

 two large tables heaped with sumptuous folios, to the fur- 

 ther door, which opened into the study. Those who 

 have seen the admirable coloured lithograph of Hilcle- 

 brand's picture, know precisely how the room looks. 

 There was the plain table, the writing-desk covered with 

 letters and manuscripts, the little green sofa, and the 

 same maps and pictures on the drab-covered walls. The 

 picture had been so long hanging in my own room at 

 home, that I at once recognised each particular object. 



" Seifert went to an inner door, announced my name, 

 and Humboldt immediately appeared. He came up to 

 me with a heartiness and cordiality which made me feel 

 that I was in the presence of a friend, gave me his hand, 

 and inquired whether we should converse in English or 

 German. ' Your letter,' said he, ; was that of a German, 

 and you must speak the language familiarly ; but I am 



