Humboldt lived an extraordinarily full life in Paris

From 1804 to 1827, Humboldt devoted his time to publishing the data gathered on the South American expedition. During this critical period of his life, he lived in Paris except for brief visits to Berlin.

During his years in Paris, Humboldt enjoyed an extraordinarily full life. He could form deep and lasting friendships with well-known scientists, such as the renowned physicist and astronomer François Arago, as well as elicit respect and admiration from the general public, an ability that reflected his generosity, humanity, and vision of what science could accomplish.

Humboldt was a gregarious person who frequented the salons of Parisian society, where he usually dominated the conversation. He lived simply, in a small apartment on the top floor of an old building in the Latin Quarter. His fortune had been severely depleted by the costs of his expedition and the publication of his books, and he was frequently in financial difficulty for the rest of his life. Furthermore, he was always eager to help young scientists at the start of their careers. Because of his magnanimity, generosity, and sound judgment, promising students with limited resources were given the encouragement, financial assistance, and introductions to the scientific community they needed to get a good start in life. Men like the German chemist Justus von Liebig and the Swiss-born zoologist Louis Agassiz owed their continued studies and academic careers to Humboldt. His voluminous correspondence, which contains approximately 8,000 letters, is the best evidence of his diverse interests and affectionate nature.