3 Alexander von Humboldt. 
scientific books, especially those pertaining to the physical sci- 
_ ences, ever brought together. It is true, many of the common 
every-day standard works of this class such as ‘no library should 
be without,’ are wanting here, particularly the long sets of scien- 
tific periodicals, the transactions of learned societies and other 
ons of specimens an 
and not by the accumulation of large libraries, 
- never owned a book, not even a copy of his own works, as I 
know from his own lips. ‘ 
mie, ‘to secure a copy of them’; and all the works he receives 
constantly from his scientific friends are distributed by him to 
