“’I met Motley at Gottingen in 1832, I am not sure if at the beginning of Easter Term or Michaelmas Term.  He kept company with German students, though more addicted to study than we members of the fighting clubs (:  corps:).  Although not having mastered yet the German language, he exercised a marked attraction by a conversation sparkling with wit, humor, and originality.  In autumn of 1833, having both of us migrated from Gottingen to Berlin for the prosecution of our studies, we became fellow-lodgers in the house No. 161 Friedrich Strasse.  There we lived in the closest intimacy, sharing meals and outdoor exercise.  Motley by that time had arrived at talking German fluently; he occupied himself not only in translating Goethe’s poem “Faust,” but tried his hand even in composing German verses.  Enthusiastic admirer of Shakespeare, Byron, Goethe, he used to spice his conversation abundantly with quotations from these his favorite authors.  A pertinacious arguer, so much so that sometimes he watched my awakening in order to continue a discussion on some topic of science, poetry, or practical life, cut short by the chime of the small hours, he never lost his mild and amiable temper.  Our faithful companion was Count Alexander Keyserling, a native of Courland, who has since achieved distinction as a botanist.

“’Motley having entered the diplomatic service of his country, we had frequently the opportunity of renewing our friendly intercourse; at Frankfort he used to stay with me, the welcome guest of my wife; we also met at Vienna, and, later, here.  The last time I saw him was in 1872 at Varzin, at the celebration of my “silver wedding,” namely, the twenty-fifth anniversary.

“’The most striking feature of his handsome and delicate appearance was uncommonly large and beautiful eyes.  He never entered a drawing-room without exciting the curiosity and sympathy of the ladies.’”

It is but a glimpse of their young life which the great statesman gives us, but a bright and pleasing one.  Here were three students, one of whom was to range in the flowery fields of the loveliest of the sciences, another to make the dead past live over again in his burning pages, and a third to extend an empire as the botanist spread out a plant and the historian laid open a manuscript.

IV.

1834-1839. 2Et. 20-25.

Return to America.—­Study of law.—­Marriage.—­
His first novel, “Morton’s hope.”