26 LIFE OF
forced Austria to negotiations which were considerably
protracted,, but which allowed no doubt of Italy's
fate.
Under these circumstances the brothers wore forced
to give up their plan of travelling1 to Italy, espoeially
when, they heard that Gootho, wlio also wished to go
there, could only for the same reasons proceed an iar
a,s Switzerland.
This news that Goethe was in, Switzerland, deter-
mined Alexander to realise hits plan of a, WWIHS journey.
AM the family of llumholdt had determined to visit
Paris, Alexander made tip his mind also to accompany
Ids brother thither. .Hut then the events of tho 18th
iVuetiidor took }>lac<^ by which tho peace party
overthrown, and by which A.nstri<vw«is (brood to a
lorat<i th,e war iieg*otiations by gtxutttn* <u>ni
Belullor,j wlio belitw*uf tlu^st1^ l^rcisncb oventB would in-
<luco the HuniholdtB to ^jjive up their jotirnc\y to J*ariH?
wan aB inncii (ltxjoiv<ul a« Goetlu*, who, being niill in
Swits5orla.ti<i, towardH the end of h>0pt<^nlx^r i>xpr<^HmHl
ItiB Ixdiof to Bchiller that tho HnmboldlAj aflor th<4r
journey to the Alps, would pass tho winter very nodably
at Jena. It was, on tho contrary, tho plan of tho
brothers HumboJdfc to draw nearer tho French boun-
dary at the foot of the Alpw, and to await tho hoped
for conclusion of peace between A.UHtria and fcho
Froncli reptiblio here* Alexander intended' in tho
moanfcimo to give his sciefitific attention to the WWIMH
Hoil, HO tortile and intorcHting for htg geofjfntmtio
studica
The family, therefore^ leffc Vionna in tbct beginning
of Ocloboi* .1797, an,d Aleximder jutcompanit»<I Uu^tn
to Sa.blmrgs where he mot hin frioncl ami Freiburg
fellow-student, .Lc^opohl von Bitch, IUK! noon reitewcHt
scientific intercourse with, him. AH William, m
anticipation of an impending peaeo^ wlnhftd, lit
to continue hi« jotinu^y wontward, atut iw Alox*
aiuler wan attracted 'by Leopold von Uuoh and tho
3nount/ainHy the hrothorn KO|>arat<Hl» un<l 'William, fcrii*
veiled with bin family to MurucRi, Ba»els and, <w fcho