ON THE DEATH OF MR. HUMBOLDT* 203 



XIV. 



Letter from Dr. P. A . N e m n i c h , exprejfmg Doubts zvith regard 

 to the Death of the celebrated Humboldt, 



To Mr. NICHOLSON. 

 SIR, 



Hamburgh, June 29, 1804". 



JL OUR Journal of Natural Philofophy, &c. June 1, 1804, Inqw^y <:<>'»- 

 page 72, mentions pofitively the death of Mr. Humboldt, dea"h"of Mr. 

 which, as we had here in Germany no other advices, I imrae- Humboldt, 

 diately communicated to my countrymen through the channel 

 of our newfpapers. There are however in Germany, as well 

 as in France, many doubts about the validity of the faid notice, 

 and many obje£tions made. Having quoted your Journal, as 

 above-mentioned, I fliould be very much obliged to you for a 

 more circumflantial and pofitive account of this report of Mr. 

 Humboldt's death, with the day of his deceafe, and the way 

 by which this notice reached England, &c. which as foon as I 

 have received, I will inftantly make public, in order to main- 

 lain that credibility your valuable Journal deferves. 

 I am, Sir, 



Your's mofl refpedfully, 



P. A. NEMNICH, 

 Licentiate. 



Extrclit du Publicifte. 



Paris, 9.0 Juin, 1804. 

 VOTRE feuille de ce jour contient a I'article de Hambourg Extraft fromthe 

 la nouvelle de la mort le Mr. de Humboldt. II m'eft permis 

 d'en r^voquer en doute I'authenticit^, et de rafTurer les 

 amis des fciences et de Thumanit^. Je fais pofitivement que 

 Mr. Guil. de Humboldt a Rome, a re^u de fon frere des lettres 

 dat^es de la Havane du 28 Mars, dans lefquelles il iui mar- 

 quoit que fous 12 jours il feroit rendu a Charieftovvn d'ou il 

 s'embarqueroit de fuite pour le Havre, et qu'il coraptait 6tre 

 ^ Paris avant la fin de fuin. — La nouvelle eil: done plus que 

 douteufe et nous pouvons efperer, que le fort ne fe feroit pas 

 fait un jeu cruel de rendre vain le d(^vouement fans bornes et 

 les nobles efforts de I' illuftre voyageur. (Sigrn^) Mendelffohn. 

 3 Exlraa 



