On the 9th of June, 1839, Varnhagen writes in his diary: “Humboldt
agrees with me in the assertion made by me at different times, that too
much cannot be inferred from the silence of the historians. He refers to
three highly important and undeniable facts, which are not mentioned by
those whose first duty it should have been to record them. In the
archives of Barcelona, no vestige of the triumphal entry held there by
Columbus; in Marco Polo, no mention of the Chinese wall; in the archives
of Portugal, nothing of the travels of Amerigo Vespucci, in the service
of that crown.” (History of the Geography of the New Continent, part
iv., p. 160, _sq._)
37.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
FRIDAY, _Sept. 13th, 1839_.
Mr. Piaget has made a very favorable impression on me. In my opinion, he
would be most useful as “Professeur de Litterature ou d’Histoire” at the
“College Français.” A pedantic examination, however, stands in his way.
I will try my best with Mr. von Werther. I have, however, some fear that
the rather illiterate-looking mustaches, and the long, straight, South
Sea hair, will be found a little odd in that quarter.
Ever with the same attachment,
A. V. HUMBOLDT.
Is it not remarkable that the Neufchatel Councillors in the cabinet,
have tried to dissuade Mr. Piaget—“par jalousie de métier?”
38.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
BERLIN, _29th Dec., 1839_.
It is kind in you, and very _humane_, dear friend, sending me that
little pamphlet,[21] which otherwise would certainly have escaped my
attention. The praise which you bestow on it is of great weight, as you
understand so well sketching a life-portrait and adorning it gracefully,
without discoloring its characteristic traits. Kries is one of my
earliest friends. We were students together in Heyne’s Seminary.[22] I
will return the print very soon.
In great haste,
A. HUMBOLDT.
39.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON, _Feb. 26th, 1840_.
I deem myself unfortunate, dear friend, in having missed you. I have
been suffering from a miserable little boil on my foot, and went to-day
(for the first time) to my neighbor, Leopold von Buch. Best thanks for
Sesenheim.[23] You certainly were right in snatching the little work
from oblivion, a work which possesses a German character in the highest
degree, and derives a tender interest from your preface. There is in
this little work a nice appreciation of what must ever be important and
sacred to a German in his literature. The author searches Sesenheim and
Drusenheim as others do the Troade. The proper names, alas! are less
poetic. The passages (p. 12 and 13), are written in a charming style;
afterwards the philologist becomes heavy and doubtful about what he only
half examined; doubtful, as if he had superficially read an old code.
Whether the sisters of Friederike, “of whom one has not to care at all”
(p. 48), whether the Catholic clergyman who, according to some, caused,
and according to others, did not cause, and then did cause her fall,
will rejoice at all this, I do not dare myself to decide. About the
Troade and the Skamander, they never could exactly determine, and Helen
had to suffer much from Hellenic gossip.
In old friendship most gratefully,
Yours,
A. V. HDT.
40.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
MONDAY, _March 9th, 1840_.
The Crown-Prince, to whom I brought, this morning, your thoughtful
“_Lebensbuch_,” has ordered me to express to you, revered friend, his
“most friendly thanks.” It reminded him, at the same time, of your
“Sophie Charlotte,” your “Seydlitz,” your always delightful language,
and your skill in portraying difficult relations of life. The liberal
passage on Grimm I read to him. It pleased him much, and brought on a
conversation on Hanover. He expressed himself very sensibly in regard to
it. “The King of Hanover does not understand how to treat Germans: he
does not know how to win them, by availing himself of their loyal
emotions. On the day when the news of the final election in Göttingen
arrived in Hanover, I would have sent an aide-de-camp or a civil officer
to Göttingen, to thank the professors, and ask them whether they would
like to have the whole seven professors reappointed.” These are words
flowing from a noble soul. Of your article on Niebuhr, I do _not_ speak
to the Crown-Prince, though I entirely agree with you regarding it.
With old attachment,
Yours,
A. V. HDT.
41.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
WEDNESDAY, _March 18th, 1840_.
An insipid polemical book of Mr. Gretsch, against Melgunoff, and against
the book of Koenig, which is entirely unknown to me, full of Siberia,
strangulation, secret funds, and Russian patriotism—an insufferable
rehash! Will you read it, my dear friend? For you alone understand it
entirely. The book might almost reconcile me with Mr. Melgunoff, against
whom I have felt some anger. I have, it is true, neither a recollection
of him nor of my conversation with him; but he must have strangely
interpreted and translated into his own language, what I said to him,
when he represents me as condemning one whose great talents and
delightful style and manners I praise everywhere. How is it credible
that I could have spoken unfavorably of you in the only conversation I
ever had with a man who brought me a letter from your own hand? Who
recognises in me such careless, Orinoco manners?
Marheineke also has made a campaign in the “Kritische-Blätter,” more
against Savigny than against Stahl. There is a good deal of acrimony in
the air, and the black coats are not merciful. The conclusion of the
philippic is very eloquent, in the climax from the rationalists, _viâ_
St. Hegel, to Galilee. It is a pity that the preceding twelve pages are
so indifferently written—in the most mediocre style.
Goerres and Schelling understand coloring better. I thus feel only
interested in what is dramatic and in the talents exhibited, or not
exhibited, therein. Caesaropapacy, territorial system, nay, even “the
authority of a _distinctly positive doctrine, and marked physiognomy_,”
for which Marheineke (p. 41) has a tendency, are abominations, and are
mere carnival buffoonery to me. Both parties are mere compressing
machines of different kinds, and a philosophically proved Christian
dogmatism of “marked physiognomy,” this seems to me the most offensive
of all strait-waistcoats.
Raumer (Carl) has published “Crusades”—crusades against the geognosts.
The Saracens are Leopold von Buch (your newly converted one), and
myself.