The Cruise of the ''Bibb!' 155 



lection, his half-sarcastic question as he pounced upon 

 the great Encyclopaedia, — ' Was machen Sie denn mit 

 dieser Eselsbriicke ? ' What are you doing with this 

 asss bridge ? — the somewhat contemptuous name 

 given in Germany to similar compilations. ' I have 

 not had time,' I said, ' to study the original sources of 

 learning, and I need a prompt and easy answer to a 

 thousand questions I have as yet no other means of 

 solving/ 



It was no doubt apparent to him that I was not 

 familiar with the good things of this world, for I 

 shortly afterward received an invitation to meet him 

 at six o'clock in the Galerie vitr^e of the Palais 

 Royal, when he led me into one of the restaurants, 

 the tempting windows of which I had occasionally 

 passed by. When we were seated, he half laugh- 

 ingly, half inquiringly asked me whether I would 

 order the dinner. I declined the invitation, saying 

 that we should fare better if he would take the 

 trouble, and for three hours, which passed like a 

 dream, I had him all to myself. How he examined 

 me, and how much I learned in that short time. 

 How to work, what to do, and what to avoid ; how 

 to live ; how to distribute my time ; what methods 

 of study to pursue, — these were the things of which 

 he talked to me on that delightful evening. I do 

 not mention this trivial incident without feeling 

 that it may seem too familiar for the occasion ; nor 

 should I give it at all except that it shows the 

 sweetness and kindliness of Humboldt's nature. It 

 was not enough for him to cheer and stimulate the 

 student ; he cared also to give a rare indulgence 



