60.HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
Friday,3d December, 1841.
Friday,3d December, 1841.
Friday,3d December, 1841.
Friday,3d December, 1841.
Of all that I have had to thank you for, dear friend, I like Hormayr’s manly letter best. Le style est tout l’homme.Heis not like the people who surround us, the better ones of whom lose themselves in reticences, temporizations, in trimming, excitements, and irresolution. His belief in Muenster’s liberalism is perhaps only a misconception of Muenster’s motives. No doubt Count Muenster has nobly contributed to the liberation of Germany—but assuredly he never did it in order to open the path to “that light” which, even to-day, is feared like a spectre. “Bruno” (Bauer) has found me out to be a preadamite convert! When I was a boy the court preachers reasoned in this way: I was confirmed by one of them, who told me that the biographies of the Evangelists were finally manufactured out of memoranda made by themselves during their lifetime. Many years ago I wrote: All positive religions contain three distinct parts—First, a code of morals, very pure and nearly the same in all—next, a geological dream—andthirdly, a myth or historical novellette; which last becomes the most important of all. I enclose the pamphlet of Baron Seckendorf. He also calls for a “representation,” namely the “re puro,” the incarnation of the people, all explained in philosophical terms. It must be acceptable, for without being assured of this he would not have dared to publish it. Such people must not be left in doubt about our real opinions. I told him (he is vice-president) that I would read his essay attentively, although our political principles on popular constitutions differed very much.
The political atmosphere is to me thick, dark, and foreboding.
With the same old attachment, yours,A. v. Humboldt.
With the same old attachment, yours,A. v. Humboldt.
With the same old attachment, yours,A. v. Humboldt.
With the same old attachment, yours,
A. v. Humboldt.
On the 2d of December, the day before the above letter, Varnhagen wrote in his diary: “Humboldt called yesterday. Talked about Paris. How he finds things here. He thinks seriously of retiring. He knows that his name alone is of any value to the King, and that his active usefulness has long been superseded by that of others. Thiers told him, in Paris, that France is much talked about as being revolutionary; but he thought Prussia was pretty well agitated, too. A letter from Guizot to Humboldt spoke much in praise of the King; and when Humboldt read it to him, andcame to the word ‘success,’ the King interrupted him with the words, ‘Ah me! there is not much of that; on that point we had best be silent.’ And really Humboldt thinks the public feeling here dreadfully changed for the worse. The King has enemies, and in the highest circles! Minister Eichhorn is generally hated, and makes but a poor figure at court. There seems scarcely a doubt that Bunsen will be Ambassador to England. Count Stolberg is almost the only one who speaks openly against Bunsen. Humboldt sneers at Bunsen’s little tract, ‘The Week of Meditation.’”
The 3d of December, 1841, Varnhagen observes: “I just received a note from Humboldt, inclosing a pamphlet of President Seckendorf’s, which also calls for a ‘representation’—the ‘re puro,’ an incarnation of the people. Humboldt observes: ‘Must be acceptable, for without such an assurance he would not have dared to publish it.’ He concludes with significant melancholy: ‘The atmosphere to me is gloomy and foreboding. It is hard to be Humboldt, and to be obliged to confess this, at the summit of honor, and in the fulness of glory.’ Indeed, he has but little pleasure, and his satirical humor alone can make life here at all supportable to him!”