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Gustave Flaubert
A German polymath (an expert in many subjects) who traveled in South America from 1799 until 1804 and wrote thirty volumes about the broad range of scientific discoveries he made there. From an early age, Humboldt was captivated by massive questions about the human and natural worlds—for instance, he was curious about why different things grew in different places, and he spent much of the rest of his life paying close attention to where certain species could be found. For de Botton, the curiosity about the unknown that drove Humboldt’s trip to South America is largely unavailable to contemporary travelers, who generally travel to destinations where there is nothing more to be discovered. But Humboldt’s tireless efforts to improve science demonstrate both travelers’ timeless fascination with nature and how the things they become curious about during travel often reflect their underlying commitments, character, and sense of personal purpose.
Alexander von Humboldt Quotes in The Art of Travel
The The Art of Travel quotes below are all either spoken by Alexander von Humboldt or refer to Alexander von Humboldt. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4
Quotes
The guidebook might have added, “and where there must be something wrong with the traveller who cannot agree.”
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Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9
Quotes
In an autobiographical note written in 1801 in South America, Alexander von Humboldt specified his motive for traveling: “I was spurred on by an uncertain longing to be transported from a boring daily life to a marvellous world.” It was this very dichotomy, “boring daily life” pitted against “marvellous world,” that de Maistre had tried to redraw with greater subtlety.
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Alexander von Humboldt Quotes in The Art of Travel
The The Art of Travel quotes below are all either spoken by Alexander von Humboldt or refer to Alexander von Humboldt. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 4
Quotes
The guidebook might have added, “and where there must be something wrong with the traveller who cannot agree.”
111
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9
Quotes
In an autobiographical note written in 1801 in South America, Alexander von Humboldt specified his motive for traveling: “I was spurred on by an uncertain longing to be transported from a boring daily life to a marvellous world.” It was this very dichotomy, “boring daily life” pitted against “marvellous world,” that de Maistre had tried to redraw with greater subtlety.
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