The Invention of Nature

British scientists in Paris: Davy dined with AH on 19 April 1817, AH Letters USA 2004, p.146; Charles Babbage and John Herschel in 1819, Babbage 1994, p.145.

33

‘derived pleasure from’: Charles Babbage, 1819, Babbage 1994, p.147.

34

Humboldt talked faster: William Buckland to John Nicholl, 1820, Buckland 1894, p.37.

35

Lyell met AH: Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 21 and 28 June 1823, Lyell 1881, vol.1, pp.122–4.

36

‘a famous lesson’: Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 28 August 1823, ibid., p.146.

37

AH’s English skills: Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 3 July 1823, ibid., p.126.

38

‘Hoombowl’: Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 28 June 1823, ibid., p.124.

39

new understanding of climate: Körber 1959, p.301.

40

‘vergleichende Klimatologie’: AH Cosmos 1845–52, vol.1, p.312; AH Kosmos 1845–50, vol.1, p.340.

41

Lyell connected climate and geology: Charles Lyell to Poulett Scrope, 14 June 1830, Lyell 1881, vol.1, p.270; see also Lyell 1830, vol.1, p.122.

42

‘read up’ on Humboldt: Charles Lyell to Gideon Mantell, 15 February 1830, Lyell 1881, vol.1, p.262.

43

influences on heat distribution: Körber 1959, p.299ff.

44

Lyell’s conclusions: Lyell 1830, vol.1, p.122; see also Wilson 1972, p.284ff.

45

moment of ‘a beginning’: Charles Lyell to Poulett Scrope, 14 June 1830, Lyell 1881, vol.1, p.269

46

‘geological application’: Ibid, p.270.

47

‘he eats dry bread’: CH to WH, 14 April 1809, WH CH Letters 1910–16, vol.3, p.131; see also Carl Vogt, January 1845, Beck 1959, p.201.

48

AH at hub of spinning wheel: AH to Simón Bolívar, 29 July 1822, Minguet 1986, p.749; this was Jean-Baptiste Boussingault, Podach 1959, pp.208–9.

49

AH and Jefferson: AH to Jefferson, 20 December 1811, TJ Papers RS, vol.4, p.352; this was José Corrêa da Serra; AH also introduced the Italian Carlo de Vidua to Jefferson in 1825, AH to Jefferson, 22 February 1825, Terra 1959, p.795 and AH Letters USA 2004, pp.122–3.

50

‘laid the foundation’: Justus von Liebig about AH, Terra 1955, p.265.

51

‘the request of a distinguished’: Gallatin 1836, p.1.

52

‘tendency to absolute’: Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 28 August 1823, Lyell 1881 vol.1, p.142.

53

AH on freedom of press and religion: AH told this to George Bancroft, 1820, Terra 1955, p.266; AH to Charles Lyell in 1823, recounted by Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 8 July 1823, Lyell 1881, vol.1, p.128.

54

‘less disposed than ever’: AH to Auguste-Pyrame Decandolle, 1818, Bruhns 1873, vol.2, p.38; for science in Paris, see Päßler 2009, p.30 and Terra 1955, p.251.

55

‘pliant tools’: AH to Charles Lyell in 1823, recounted by Charles Lyell to Charles Lyell sen., 8 July 1823, Lyell 1881, vol.1, p.127.

56

‘They are scattered thick’: Ibid.

57

AH’s appearance in 1822: Jean Baptiste Boussingault, 1822, Podach 1959, pp.208–9.

58

‘you must already have’: King Friedrich Wilhelm III to AH, autumn 1826, Bruhns 1873, vol.2, p.95.

59

‘poor as a church’: AH to WH, 17 December 1822, AH WH Letters 1880, p.112; for AH finances, see Eichorn 1959, p.206.

60

‘only thing in heaven’: Helen Maria Williams to Henry Crabb Robinson, 25 March 1818, Leask 2001, p.225.

61

AH gave up freedom: AH to Carl Friedrich Gauß, 16 February 1827, AH Gauß Letters 1977, p.30.

62

‘the middle ground’: AH to Georg von Cotta, 28 March 1833, AH Cotta Letters 2009, p.178.

63

a ‘force of noblemen’: AH to Arago, 30 April 1827, AH Arago Letters 1907, p.23.

64

AH in London: 3 May 1827, RS Journal Book, vol.XLV, p.73ff. and 3 May 1827, List of Attendees, RS Dining Club, vol.21, no page numbers; AH to Arago, 30 April 1827, AH Arago Letters 1907, pp.22–4.

65

Mary Somerville (footnote): Patterson 1969, p.311; Patterson 1974, p.272.

66

AH and Canning: AH to Arago, 30 April 1827, AH Arago Letters 1907, p.28; Canning became Prime Minister on 10 April and the dinner was on 23 April 1827.

67

‘my torments here’: AH to Achille Valenciennes, 4 May 1827, Théodoridès 1966, p.46.

68

Thames tunnel: Buchanan 2002, p.22ff.; Pudney 1974, p.16ff.; Brunel 1870, p.24ff.

69

‘anxiety increasing daily’: Marc Brunel, Diary, 4 January, 21 March, 29 March 1827, Brunel 1870, pp.25–6.

70

‘clayey silt above’: Marc Brunel, Diary, 29 March 1827, ibid., p.26.

71

AH at tunnel: AH to Arago, 30 April 1827, AH Arago Letters 1907, p.24ff.; Pudney 1974, pp.16–17; AH to William Buckland, 26 April 1827, American Philosophical Society (copy at Alexander-von-Humboldt-Forschungstelle, Berlin); Prince Pückler Muskau, 20 August 1827, Pückler Muskau 1833, p.177.

72

looked like ‘Eskimos’: AH to Arago, 30 April 1827, AH Arago Letters 1907, p.25.

73

‘a privilege of Prussians’: Ibid.

74

tunnel fell in: Marc Brunel, Diary, 29 April and 18 May 1827, Brunel 1870, p.27; Buchanan 2002, p.25.

75

‘You care for nothing’: Robert Darwin to Charles Darwin, Darwin 1958, p.28.

Chapter 15: Return to Berlin

1

‘tedious, restless life’: AH to Varnhagen, 13 December 1833, AH Varnhagen Letters 1860, p.15.

2

chamberlain honorary title: AH Friedrich Wilhelm IV Letters 2013, pp.18–19.

3

‘court life robs’: AH, 1795, Bruhns 1873, vol.1, p.212; for AH at Prussian court, see Bruhns, vol.2, pp.104–5.

4