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Alexander von Humboldt: „Aimé Bonpland“, in: ders., Sämtliche Schriften digital, herausgegeben von Oliver Lubrich und Thomas Nehrlich, Universität Bern 2021. URL: <https://humboldt.unibe.ch/text/1858-Neueste_Nachrichten_ueber-06-neu> [abgerufen am 13.02.2026].
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| Titel | Aimé Bonpland | ||||||
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| Jahr | 1858 | ||||||
| Ort | London | ||||||
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Nachweis in: The Athenæum. Journal of English and Foreign Literature, Science, and the Fine Arts 1604 (24. Juli 1858), S. 112.
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| Sprache | Englisch | ||||||
| Typografischer Befund | Antiqua; Spaltensatz; Auszeichnung: Kapitälchen. | ||||||
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Statistiken
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|112|
|Spaltenumbruch|
Berlin, 12th July, 1858.
Aware of the deep sympathy felt for me bymany of my friends, in my great distress at thedeath of my beloved, noble friend and travellingcompanion, Bonpland, I have considered it myduty to publish at any rate a short preliminarycommunication on the subject, for which I amindebted to the friendly zeal of Dr. Lallemant(author of an important work on the diseases ofEuropeans in tropical climates). This accomplishedman, thinking thereby to give me pleasure, afterleaving the Imperial Austrian Expedition on boardthe frigate Novara, undertook a journey in Februarylast from Rio Janeiro to Rio Grande, and fromthence, by Porto Alegre and the former JesuitMissions, to San Borja, where he erroneously sup-posed that Bonpland was still residing, as he hadsince the year 1831. I am in possession of twoletters of Dr. Lallemant: one from San Borja,on the Uruguay, dated the 10th of April; another,written from the Villa de Uruguaiana, on the19th of April 1858, after having conversed withBonpland at Santa Anna:—
“Whilst at San Borja,” writes Dr. Lallemant,“I resided with an intimate friend of Bonpland,the vicar Gay, in whose company I visited theformerly well-kept garden of the botanist, butwhich is now desolate and overgrown. M. Gayhad received the last letter from Bonpland towardsthe end of the year 1857. Subsequently news wasreceived of his serious illness. Letters writtenwith a view to learn the state of his health re-mained unanswered, and in spite of the shortdistance it was still uncertain at San Borja whetherI should find your travelling companion alive.Bonpland had left San Borja in the year 1853, toreside on his larger estate at Santa Anna, wherehe long occupied himself in cultivating orange-treesof his own planting. The residence of the old manof science (in the Estancia of Santa Anna) con-sists of two large cottages, the mud walls of whichare secured by bamboo poles and a few beams onthe thatch. Both cottages have doors, but nowindows, as the light is admitted by the crevicesbetween the bamboo supports of the wall. I wasreceived in a hearty and friendly manner. In spiteof the deep lines which a stirring life had imprintedupon the beloved countenance, the eye was stillpiercing, clear, and full of expression. Spiritedconversation, commenced by himself, seemed toweary him much, and he suffered much fromchronic rheumatism of the bladder. The privationswhich he so wonderfully imposes on himself are notin consequence of want or necessary retrenchment,but rather of long habit, great self-command, andcharacteristic individuality. The Government ofCorrientes has presented him with an estate worth10,000 Spanish piastres,—he also enjoys a pensionof 3,000 francs per annum from the French Govern-ment. He has always practised as a physician,with the most perfect disinterestedness. He isuniversally respected,—greatly prefers, however,solitude, and especially avoids those who come to
|Spaltenumbruch| him for advice and assistance. His scientific zealremains unabated; his collections and manuscriptsare deposited at Corrientes, where he has foundeda national museum. On the following morning Ifound him considerably weaker. The night hadbeen a painful one. I earnestly entreated him totell me if I could in any way be of service to him,but it was with me as with all his friends,—‘hewas in no need of assistance.’ I took leave of himwith a sorrowful heart. How gladly would I haveprevailed on him to return to the civilized world!But I felt with him, that his time was past. Hebelongs to the first period of the nineteenth cen-tury, not to the second. It appeared to me thatyour friend was himself affected when I took bothhis wrinkled hands in mine to bid him adieu.Those who surround him have found his powersfailing him much during the last three months.Perhaps the old man experienced the same feelingsat parting as myself, who would probably be thelast messenger of European birth sent to him fromafar off into this wilderness, to express to him inthe name of Science all the reverence, love, andthankfulness which is due to him. I mounted myhorse and gallopped in a northern direction, acrossthe green plains. No path directed me; I wasdisturbed by no guide; I was alone, with mymournful thoughts on Bonpland sinking into thegrave.”
How happy was the last letter which I receivedfrom Bonpland, from Corrientes, dated the 7th ofJune, 1857:—
“J’irai,” said he, “porter mes collections et mesmanuscrits moi-même à Paris, pour les déposer auMuséum. Mon voyage en France ne sera que trèscourt; je retournerai à mon S. Ana, où je passeune vie tranquille et heureuse. C’est là que jeveux mourir, et où mon tombeau se trouvera àl’ombre des arbres nombreux que j’ai plantés. Queje serais heureux, cher Humboldt, de te revoirencore une fois et de renouveler nos souvenirscommuns. Le mois d’août prochain, le 28, je com-pléterai ma 84ème année, et j’ai trois (4) ans demoins que toi. Il vient de mourir dans cetteprovince un homme de 107 ans. Quelle perspectivepour deux voyageurs qui ont passé leur 80èmeannée!”
This joyous letter, almost expressing a longingfor life, contrasts wonderfully with the mournfuldescription of Dr. Lallemant’s visit. In MonteVideo (according to Mr. von Tschudi) it was be-lieved that Bonpland had died at San Borja, onthe 29th of May, but without further particulars.On the 18th of April Lallemant conversed withhim at Santa Anna. On the 19th of May hisdeath was denied at Porto Alegre. There is,therefore, still hope that the younger of the twohas not been the first summoned away. At suchgreat distances uncertainty is often unfortunatelylong continued, as evidence the anxiety on accountof Edward Vogel in Central Africa and AdolphSchlagintweit in Central Asia.
Aimé Bonpland.
Alexander v. Humboldt.