188.HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
Berlin,November 30th, 1856.
Berlin,November 30th, 1856.
Berlin,November 30th, 1856.
Berlin,November 30th, 1856.
Esteemed Friend:
Esteemed Friend:
Esteemed Friend:
Esteemed Friend:
At this moment I receive a letter from apupil, deserving of moderate praise for clearness of thought and diction. I shall not write before having first come to see you, my dear friend. The last fifteen lines of the letter are utterly illegible and unintelligible to me. I had written to him about the laying of the telegraph cable between Ireland and Newfoundland, but had not made him any offer. I cannot read what is underscored!Keep my pupil’s letter by all means, including the information that I am the subject of discussion in the Belgian Chambers, as a materialist and republican, who ought to be discharged! Where the dinner of the Baron d’Arhim (Arnim) took place, I cannot guess. I may have said, that I was as liberal as Arago, but certainly not that I was a Republican. Deposit M. Jobard in your archives, my friend,
Your faithful,A. v. Humboldt.
Your faithful,A. v. Humboldt.
Your faithful,A. v. Humboldt.
Your faithful,
A. v. Humboldt.
Sunday.
Sunday.
Sunday.
Sunday.
What men believe and disbelieve does not generally become a subject of contention until after they have been officially buried and bepreached by Sydow.[86]
The “Spenersche Zeitung,” besides discussing Neufchatel and the evacuation of the Danubian principalities, contains a daily health return about five little silkworms of Fintelmann, the court gardener. How all things diminish in importance! I have often written letters dated from the hill of Sans Souci, which formerly was historical. Now the Peacock’s Island becomes historical by the still life of two caterpillars. Thus the world moves. It must be remembered that when the Angora goats made illustrious the administration of Richelieu in France, theMoniteurcontained the announcement: “Lemoral des chèvres s’améliore de jour en jour.”