?Two or three years my senior, Sam, like myself, was acquiring a taste for books. Our tastes were not wholly dissimilar. Both of us read and enjoyed poetry; but while Sam?s more solid reading was in science, especially in astronomy and geology, mine was in history, biography, logic, languages, oratory, and general literature. Sam?s favourite books at this time were Alison?s "History of Europe" and Humboldt?s "Cosmos".?
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: Samuel Bailey Print: Book
Letter from Aikin to her brother Edmund, dated March 1818: 'It is curious to observe the native eloquence of Humboldt struggling with the encombrance of all the sciences. Did ever mortal man study so many ologies, or travel with so many ometers!'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Lucy Aikin Print: Book
'When I returned to Annan, it occurred to me, that it would be proper to see what was become of my Hall discourses. It occurred to me, much about the same time, that it would be proper to study Rumfords essays, Mackenzies travels, Humboldts New Spain, Berkeley's principles of knowledge, Stewarts essays, Simson's fluxions &c &c &c - It was some great man's advice, to every person in a hurry - never to do more than one thing at a time. Judge what progress I must have made - when I engaged in half-a-dozen. - Manufacturing theses - wrestling with lexicons, Chemical experiments, Scotch philosophy and Berkeleian Metaphysics - I have scarcely sufficient strength left, to write you even now. Upon consideration, therefore, of these egregious labours - I hope, you cannot refuse to forgive me.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Thomas Carlyle Print: Book
'All the while I am writing now my head is running about the Tropics: in the morning I go and gaze at Palm trees in the hot-house and come home and read Humboldt: my enthusiasm is so great that I cannot hardly sit still on my chair.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Darwin Print: Unknown
'I hope you continue to fan your Canary ardor: I read & reread Humboldt, do you do the same, & I am sure nothing will prevent us seeing the Great Dragon tree.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Darwin Print: Unknown
'I now first felt even moderately well, & I was picturing to myself all the delights of fresh fruit growing in beautiful valleys, & reading Humboldts descriptions of the Islands glorious views.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Darwin Print: Unknown
'If you really want to have a [notion] of tropical countries, study Humboldt.? Skip th[e] scientific parts & commence after leaving Teneriffe.? My feelings amount to admiration the more I read him.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charles Darwin Print: Unknown
George Grote to John Stuart Mill (October 1857):
'I have looked at W. Humboldt's book: it is written in a very excellent spirit, and deserves every
mark of esteem for the frankness with which it puts forward free individual development as an
end, also for the low comparative estimate which it gives of passive imitation and submission.'
Century: 1850-1899 Reader/Listener/Group: George Grote Print: Book
Charlotte Bronte to James Taylor, 20 September 1849:
'I read with pleasure "Friends in Council," and with very great pleasure "The Thoughts and Opinions of a Statesman." It is the record of what may with truth be termed a beautiful mind — serene, harmonious, elevated and pure; it bespeaks, too, a heart full of kindness and sympathy. I like it much.'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Charlotte Brontë Print: Book
'I am just now (when at home) reading 'Cosmos', a sketch of a physical description of the universe.
Parts of it are very interesting, but others of too deeply scientific character for my limited capacity
to comprehend; still I hope to gather a good deal of curious and useful information from it...'
Century: 1800-1849 Reader/Listener/Group: Eliza Ellis Print: Book
