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Alexander von Humboldt: „Aime 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-08-neu> [abgerufen am 13.02.2026].
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| Titel | Aime Bonpland | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jahr | 1858 | ||||
| Ort | Dublin | ||||
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Nachweis in: The Advocate. Or Irish Industrial Journal 20:47 (28. Juli 1858), [o. S.].
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| Sprache | Englisch | ||||
| Typografischer Befund | Antiqua; Spaltensatz; Auszeichnung: Kapitälchen. | ||||
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|Seitenumbruch|
Berlin, 12th July, 1858.
—Aware of the deep
sympathy felt for me by many of my friends, in
my great distress at the death of my beloved, noble
friend and travelling companion, Bonpland, I have
considered it my duty to publish at any rate a short
preliminary communication on the subject, for
which I am indebted to the friendly zeal of Dr.
Lallemant (author of an important work on the
diseases of Europeans in tropical climates). This
accomplished man, thinking thereby to give me
pleasure, after leaving the Imperial Austrian Ex-
pedition on board the frigate Novara, undertook a
journey in February last from Rio Janeiro to Rio
Grande, and from thence by Porto Alegre and the
former Jesuit Missions, to San Borja, where he
erroneously supposed that Bonpland was still re-
siding, as he had since the year 1831. I am in pos-
session of two letters of Dr. Lallemant: one from
San Borja, on the Uruguay, dated the 10th of April
— another written from the Villa de Uruguaiana,
on the 19th of April, 1858, after having conversed
with Bonpland 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 the formerly
well kept garden of the botanist, but which is now
desolate and overgrown. M. Gay had received the
last letter from Bonpland towards the end of the
year 1857. Subsequently news was received of his
serious illness. Letters written with a view to learn
the state of his health remained unanswered, and
in spite of the short distance it was still uncertain
at San Borja whether I should find your travelling
companion alive. Bonpland had left San Borja in
the year 1853, to reside on his larger estate at Santa
Anna, where he long occupied himself in cultivating
orange trees of his own planting. The residence
of the old man of science (in the Estancia of Santa
Anna) consists of two large cottages, the mud walls
of which are secured by bamboo poles and a few
beams on the thatch. Both cottages have doors, but
no windows, as the light is admitted by the crevices
between the bamboo supports of the wall. I was re-
ceived in a hearty and friendly manner. In spite
of the deep lines which a stirring life had
imprinted upon the beloved countenance, the eye was
still piercing, clear, and full of expression. Spirited
conversation, commenced by himself, seemed to
weary him much, and he suffered much from chronic
rheumatism of the bladder. The privations which he
so wonderfully imposes on himself are not in conse-
quence of want or necessary retrenchment, but
rather of long habit, great self-command, and indi-
viduality. The government of Corrientes has pre-
sented him with an estate worth 10,000 Spanish
piastres; he also enjoys a pension of 3,000 francs
per annum from the French government. He has
always practised as a physician, with the most perfect
disinterestedness. He is universally respected—
greatly prefers, however, solitude, and especially
avoids those who come to him for advice and assis-
tance. His scientific zeal remains unabated; his
collections and manuscripts are deposited at Cor-
rientes, where he has founded a national museum.
On the following morning I found him considerably
weaker. The night had been a painful one. I ear-
nestly entreated him to tell me if I could in any way
be of service to him, but it was with me as with all his
friends—‘he was in no need of assistance.’ I took
leave of him with a sorrowful heart. How gladly
would I have persuaded on him to return to the civi-
lised world! But I felt with him, that his time
was past. He belongs to the first period of the
nineteenth century, not to the second. It appeared
to me that your friend was himself affected when
I took both his wrinkled hands in mine to bid
him adieu. Those who surround him have found
his powers failing him much during the last three
months. Perhaps the old man experienced the
same feelings at parting as myself, who would
probably be the last messenger of European birth
sent to him from afar off into this wilderness, to
express to him in the name of Science all the re-
verence, love, and thankfulness which is due to
him. I mounted my horse and gallopped in a
northern direction across the green plains. No
path directed me; I was disturbed by no guide; I
was alone, with my mournful thoughts on Bonpland
sinking into the grave.”
How happy was the last letter which I received
from Bonpland, from Corrientes, dated the 7th of
June, 1857.
“J’irai,” said he, “porter mes collections et mes
manuscrits moi-meme a Paris, pour les deposer au
Museum. Mon voyage en France ne sera que tres
court; je retournerai a mon S. Ana, ou je passe une
vie tranquille et heureuse. C’est la que je veux
mourir, et où mon tombeau se trouvera a l’ombre
des arbres nombreux que j’ai plantes. Que je serais
heureux, cher Humboldt, de te revoir encore une
fois et de renouveler nos souvenirs communs. Le
mois d’aout prochain, le 28, je completerai ma 84eme
annee, et j’ai trois (4) ans de moins que toin. Il
vient de mourir dans cette province un homme de
107 ans. Quelle perspective pour deux voyageurs
qui ont passe leur 80eme annee!”
This joyous letter, expressing a longing for life,
contrasts wonderfully with the mournful description
of Dr. Lallemant’s visit. In Monte Video (accord-
ing to Mr. von Tschudi) it was believed that Bon-
pland had died at San Borja on the 29th of May, but
without further particulars. On the 18th of April Lal-
lemant conversed with him at Santa Anna. On the
19th of May his death was denied at Porto Alegre.
There is, therefore, still hope that the younger of the
two has not been the first summoned away. At
such great distances uncertainty is often unfortunately
long continued, as evidence the anxiety on account
of Edward Vogel in Central Africa and Adolph
Schlagintweit in Central Asia.
AIME BONPLAND.
Alexander V. Humboldt.