Page:Passages from the Life of a Philosopher.djvu/218

202 satisfactory to themselves, and I hope, also, to the digestions of the Naturforschers.

During the meeting much gaiety was going on at Berlin. One evening previous to our parties, I was walking in the Linden Walk with Humboldt, discussing the singularities of several of our learned acquaintance. My companion made many acute and very amusing remarks; some of these were a little caustic, but not one was ill-natured. I had contributed a very small and much less brilliant share to this conversation, when the clock striking, warned us that the hour for our visits had arrived. I never shall forget the expression of archness which lightened up Humboldt's countenance when shaking my hand he said, in English, "My dear friend, I think it may be as well that we should not speak of each other until we meet again." We then each kept our respective engagements, and met again at the most recherché of all, a concert at Mendelssohn's.

From my father's house on the coast, near Teignmouth, we could, with a telescope, see every ship which entered Torbay. When the "Bellerophon" anchored, the news was rapidly spread that Napoleon was on board. On hearing the rumour, I put a small telescope into my pocket, and, mounting my horse, rode over to Torbay. A crowd of boats surrounded the ship, then six miles distant; but, by the aid of my glass, I saw upon the quarter-deck that extraordinary man, with many members of whose family I subsequently became acquainted. Of those who are no more I may without impropriety say a few words.

My first acquaintance with several branches of the family