Transatlantic communication in the 19th century aspects of the correspondence between alexander von humboldt and george ticknor

Abstract

The Prussian explorer Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) and the North American scholar George Ticknor (1791-1871) met in 1817 in Paris, after Ticknor had studied languages, history, and natural sciences at the University of Göttingen. Two years later, he became the first Harvard Professor of the French and Spanish Languages and Literatures. When Ticknor visited Europe in 1836 and 1856, Humboldt was his guide in the Prussian Capital. Both, Humboldt and Ticknor were mediators between the Old World and the New Continent at a time when nationalism was fashionable both in literature and in politics. Humboldt and Ticknor did not agree on all political questions. However, their respect for each other helped them avoid controversial topics in their correspondence, and possibly in their conversations. With their ability to rank the things they had in common higher than their differences they were able to maintain a fruitful transatlantic dialogue over forty years.