REVIEWS. 
291 
]\Ioimtains he had abeady arrived at his sixty-first year. And though, of 
course, this was comparatively young for a man who reached his ninetieth 
summer, still it may be regarded as the terminus of Humboldt’s travelling 
career. 
The second volume of this very interesting work may be divided into two 
portions, each of which is written by a distinct author, the first three chap- 
ters being the composition of Eobert Ave-Lallemant, and the last four 
being under the authorship of Alfred Dove. This portion of the English 
translation is by far the more interesting of the two volumes, especially the 
last couple of chapters. Of it we can give merely an outline of the con- 
tents, having, to use a technicality, “ exceeded our space ” already. The first 
part of the present volume, then, has to do with the publication of the 
results of his American expedition. This was an exhaustive work, and one 
which, as the reader will perceive, cost a vast sum of money. It extended 
to about twenty folio and ten quarto volumes, and the price of the entire 
set on America alone amounted to the enormous sum of more than 400/. 
Here is given also an account of the mode in which a large number of his 
books were destroyed. In Humboldt’s words, ^^the whole stock of the 
German edition of my astronomical observations was thrown into the sea 
by order of the trade, in order to escape the duty on the books.” In a note 
beaded Potsdam, 4th December, 1850, he adds, in relation to this, ^^a 
memento of the barbarism of booksellers.” Subsequently, in the other 
chapters, are detailed a list of Humboldt’s friends at Paris, who were cer- 
tainly numerous enough, and some of whom are still living and working at 
science, and a sketch of his characteristic traits, and personal incidents, 
which is very interesting. These end this part of the volume. Next in order 
comes Herr Dove’s account, which deals with Humboldt’s residence at Berlin 
till the Eevolution of July, from this date to the death of Frederick William 
HI., then from the accession of Prederick William IV. to the Eevolution of 
1848, and finally with the last ten years of the philosopher’s career. This last 
portion of his life is not considered interesting by the writer (Herr Dove), but 
in our opinion it is not unlikely to be deemed of some importance by the 
general reader, especially as Herr Dove has written in a perfectly impartial 
spirit, giving praise and censure when he thought each was merited. In this 
part of the book more than in any other we see the author’s real character 
displayed. And we must say we are greatly disappointed with it. For we 
should not have expected to meet with so much vanity, poverty of spirit, 
and little-mindedness in one who had at least the opportunity so rarely 
given to men of being placed above the small things of this world. So that 
we fancy the reader will be almost more pleased with Herr Dove’s sketch 
of Humboldt’s ‘-appearance and reality,” and “his position at home and 
before the world,” than with any other portion of the volume. And this 
closes the sketch of his life in this the English edition, and completes a book 
which, with certain disadvantages that we have already alluded to, must 
be regarded — with the three excellent portraits which accompany it — as in- 
finitely the best work which has appeared in this country upon the life and 
doings of Humboldt, a man who, however great he may seem, will not be 
remembered a few centuries hence. 
