NOTE BY VARNHAGEN.—He probably had just read of the Stercoranists in
Strauss’s “Glaubenslehre.” Hence this allusion.
65.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
THURSDAY, _31st March, 1842_.
On my return from Potsdam with the King I received the “Loa-Tseu,” a
work with a peculiar flavor of ante-Herodotian antiquity. Your note
accompanying the Chinese philosopher impresses me painfully. I find that
you have not yet received the courage arising from a consciousness of
restored physical strength. That the vigor of your intellect never
suffered is shown in each of your letters. I think I have not lost any
of them. About a week ago I wrote you a long one of four pages about
that “Christianly-dogmatising philosopher,” and my reply to the
inquiries of the “Biographer,” who pestered me with his pietistic
curiosity. Did that letter come to hand safely? It contained also much
chit-chat on my brother’s first erudition. You don’t make any mention of
my talkativeness. I trust it will not be a source of trouble to me. We
have succeeded with Buelow. He may be here next Saturday. It may be the
beginning of something good; or the end of it—_le bouquet_—the stage
effect of foot-lights. I met with Tholuk and Bekedorff yesterday at
Potsdam at dinner. No other occasion would have favored me with their
_apparition_. With constant devotion yours,