19th Century Secretary of the Smithsonian on the subject of Coffee

Samuel P. Langley (1834-1906), in a letter to his niece Mary, wrote about the preparation of the "best coffee in Carlsbad,"in Bohemia.
I imagine that the legend of figs used in the preparation of the coffee came about because of the blend, the combination of four different varieties of coffee and perhaps their unique roasting technique. It's not uncommon to find fruit notes, even mango and raspberry, in some cups of coffee.
If I could only travel through time....any historical figures with whom you could imagine sharing a cup at Modern Times?

(from the Smithsonian Air and Space blog)