The following letters of Humboldt furnish a contribution of the highest
importance to the true, correct, and unveiled representation of his
genius and character. That they should be delivered to publicity after
his death was his desire and intent, which have found their positive
impression in the words preceding this book as its motto. Never has he
spoken out his mind more freely and sincerely, than in his
communications with Varnhagen, his old and faithful friend, whom he
esteemed and loved before all others. In him he placed an unlimited
confidence; with him he deposited those letters received by him, which
he desired to be saved for their importance, while he used to destroy
nearly all others. He presumed that Varnhagen, the junior of the two,
would survive him.
Varnhagen, however, died first and transmitted the duty—a doubly sacred
one—to me, of publishing this memorable evidence of the life, the
activity, and the genius of this great man. In the accomplishment of
this charge it was a religious duty to leave every word unchanged as
written down. I would have thought it an offence to Humboldt’s memory
had I had the arrogance to make the slightest alterations of his words.
For the same reason I did not think myself authorized to grant the
request—however well-meaning it may have been—of the publisher, that I
should make such alterations, nor could I accord the least influence to
my own feelings or to personal regards. There was but one consideration
to be obeyed—the _eternal truth_, for an adherence to which I am
responsible to Humboldt’s memory, to History and Literature, and to the
will of him who enjoined this duty upon me.
And therefore the legacy, intrusted to my hands, will appear full and
complete, as it was received. The interest of Humboldt’s letters is
sometimes pleasantly heightened by entries in Varnhagen’s diary—they
will indicate the verbal sentiments of Humboldt in addition to those
written by him. Of Varnhagen’s letters few only were preserved or could
be found. In the little, however, which is known, the noble friendship,
the constant, never-ceasing mental activity, the faithful fellowship in
their mutual efforts in behalf of science and liberty, in all of which
Humboldt and Varnhagen were so many years united, find a sufficient
expression.
The letters of many other distinguished and celebrated persons, which
are also added, will show Humboldt in his world-wide connexions, in his
manifold relations to savans and authors, to statesmen and princes, all
of whom approached him with reverence.