Other aspects of Humboldt's life and career Alexander von Humboldt

1 other aspects of humboldt s life , career

1.1 humboldt , prussian monarchy
1.2 religion
1.3 personal life
1.4 illness , death

other aspects of humboldt s life , career
humboldt , prussian monarchy

humboldt s seal on private letter

in napoleonic wars, prussia had capitulated france, signing treaty of tilsit. prussian royal family returned berlin, sought better terms of treaty , friedrich wilhelm iii commissioned younger brother prince wilhelm this. friedrich wilhelm iii asked alexander part of mission, charged introducing prince paris society. turn of events humboldt not have been better, since desired live in paris rather berlin.

in 1814 humboldt accompanied allied sovereigns london. 3 years later summoned king of prussia attend him @ congress of aachen. again in autumn of 1822 accompanied same monarch congress of verona, proceeded thence royal party rome , naples , returned paris in spring of 1823. humboldt had long regarded paris true home. thus, when @ last received sovereign summons join court @ berlin, obeyed reluctantly.

between 1830 , 1848 humboldt employed in diplomatic missions court of king louis philippe of france, whom maintained cordial personal relations. charles x of france had been overthrown, louis-philippe of house of orléans becoming king. humboldt knew family, , sent prussian monarch paris report on events monarch. spent 3 years in france, 1830 1833. friends françois arago , guillaume guizot, appointed posts in louis-philippe s government.

humboldt s brother, wilhelm, died on 8 april 1835. alexander lamented had lost half of himself death of brother. upon accession of crown prince frederick william iv in june 1840, humboldt s favor @ court increased. indeed, new king s craving humboldt s company became @ times importunate leave him few waking hours work on writing.

religion

because humboldt did not mention god in work cosmos, , spoke unfavourably of hypocritical religious attitudes, speculated materialist philosopher, or perhaps atheist. however, unlike irreligious figures such robert g. ingersoll, went far use humboldtian science campaign against religion, humboldt himself denied imputations of atheism. in letter varnhagen von ense emphasized believed world had indeed been created, writing of cosmos: ... creation , created world never lost sight of in book. , did not, 8 months ago, in french translation, say, in plainest terms: necessity of things, occult permanent connection, periodical return in progress, development of formation, phenomena, , events constitute nature submissive controlling power?

it has been argued although humboldt emphasizes basis of morality in nature of man, acknowledge belief in god linked directly acts of virtue , therefore dignity of man lies @ centre of humboldt s religious thought.

humboldt believed firmly in afterlife. letter wrote friend charlotte hildebrand diede states: god appoints course of nature , of circumstances; that, including existence in eternal future, happiness of individual not perish, on contrary grows , increases.

humboldt remained distant of organized religion: did not believe in bible inerrant document, nor in divinity of jesus; yet, humboldt still held deep respect ideal side of religious belief , church life within human communities. differentiated between negative religions, , positive religions [which] consist of 3 distinct parts — code of morals same in of them, , pure; geological chimera, , myth or little historical novel. in cosmos, wrote how rich geological descriptions found in different religious traditions, , stated: christianity gradually diffused itself, and, wherever adopted religion of state, not exercised beneficial condition on lower classes inculcating social freedom of mankind, expanded views of men in communion nature...this tendency glorify deity in works gave rise taste natural observation.

humboldt showed religious tolerance towards judaism, , criticized political jews bill, initiative intended establish legal discrimination against jews. called abominable law, since hoped see jews being treated equally in society.

personal life

alexander von humboldt in library in oranienburger strasse, berlin apartment, eduard hildebrandt



portrait of humboldt julius schrader, 1859. metropolitan museum of art

much of humboldt s private life remains mystery because destroyed private letters. while gregarious personality, may have harbored sense of social alienation, drove passion escape through travel.

humboldt never married: while charmed number of attractive women, including henriette, wife of mentor marcus herz, sister-in-law caroline von humboldt stated nothing ever have great influence on alexander doesn t come through men. had many strong male friendships, , @ times had romances men.

as student became infatuated wilhelm gabriel wegener, theology student, penning succession of letters expressing fervent love . @ 25 met reinhardt von haeften (may 19, 1772 – october 20, 1803), 21-year-old lieutenant, whom lived , travelled 2 years, , whom wrote in 1794: live through you, precious reinhardt. when von haeften became engaged, humboldt begged remain living him , wife: if must refuse me, treat me coldly disdain, should still want you...the love have not friendship or brotherly love, veneration.

a travelling companion in americas 5 years aimé bonpland, , in quito in 1802 met ecuadorian aristocrat don carlos montúfar, travelled humboldt europe , lived him. in france, humboldt travelled , lived physicist , balloonist joseph louis gay lussac. later had deep friendship married french astronomer françois arago, whom met daily 15 years.

humboldt once wrote, don t know sensual needs. however, pious travelling companion, francisco josé de caldas, accused him of frequenting houses in quito impure love reigned , of making friends obscene dissolute youths , of giving vent shameful passions of heart , , dropping him travel bonpland , adonis [monúfar].

humboldt inherited significant fortune, expense of travels, , of publishing (thirty volumes in all), had 1834 made him totally reliant on pension of king frederick william iii. although preferred living in paris, 1836 king had insisted return germany. lived court @ sanssouci, , latterly in berlin, valet seifert, had accompanied him russia in 1829.

signature of humboldt late in life, when handwriting became increasingly difficult read

four years before death, humboldt executed deed of gift transferring entire estate dominating seifert, had married , set household near humboldt s apartment. humboldt had become godfather daughter. scale of bequest has drawn speculation, seifert thirty years younger, , introducing lower class partners households under guise of servants common practice.

in 1908, sexual researcher paul näcke gathered reminiscences homosexuals including humboldt s friend botanist karl bolle, 90 years old: of material incorporated magnus hirschfeld 1914 study homosexuality in men , women. however, speculations humboldt s private life , possible homosexuality continue remain fractious issue amongst scholars, particularly earlier biographers had portrayed him largely asexual, christ-like humboldt figure...suitable national idol.

illness , death

on 24 february 1857, humboldt suffered minor stroke, passed without perceptible symptoms. not until winter of 1858–1859 strength began decline; on 6 may 1859, died peacefully in berlin, aged 89. last words reported how glorious these sunbeams are! seem call earth heavens! remains conveyed in state through streets of berlin, in hearse drawn 6 horses. royal chamberlains led cortège, each charged carrying pillow humboldt s medals , other decorations of honor. humboldt s extended family, descendants of brother wilhelm, walked in procession. humboldt s coffin received prince-regent @ door of cathedral. interred @ family resting-place @ tegel, alongside brother wilhelm , sister-in-law caroline.