133.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
BERLIN, _March 27th, 1847_.
I am more deserving than you would believe, dear friend! I am through
with the first volume of the “Letters”[53] (Therese’s property). I had
very little to correct, and only about four pages to suppress, viz.
allusions to biscuits, household details, a few sarcasms against Duke
Charles of Brunswick (which he would have answered with calumnies as to
the lady’s virtue), and more such things. The letters are excellent both
in thought and expression. They furnish a picture of a most remarkable
life. Their contempt of all worldly happiness or unhappiness beyond the
narrow circle of one’s own feelings, this mixture of scriptural and
Christian dogmas, of stoical indifference to the affairs of the world,
together with so much delicacy and gentleness in a correspondence,
continued to the four last days of a life, and written by a trembling
hand on ruled paper. The torments of love-sickness, _qui
n’impatientent_, are left untouched, in order not to lessen the
impression of that powerful individuality. I repeat, all that I struck
out amounts to only five or six lines—all that I suppressed as dull or
trivial, would not fill two printed pages. You will, however, see much,
very much, in the manuscript stricken out, thus ∽∽∽∽∽∽∽∽ sometimes half
pages; this is, however, not mine but the old lady’s doing. This
“Daughter of the Pastor of Taubenheim”[54] had, perhaps, hysterical fits
of prudery now and then. The different ink shows that I am a stranger to
these obliterations.
The first volume has a beautiful passage on Therese, and says much in
praise of the King of Bavaria. In the second volume a description of
Rahel will please you. Of Bettina she speaks less approvingly, as Madame
von Buelow told me. I shall try to modify it in this respect. I think
the first volume will be ready for delivery next Tuesday, and the second
will soon follow. I shall bring it myself, together with notes and
facsimiles, all locked in a tin box, which must be shortened. Then you
will be in possession of the whole treasure, and I “salvavi animam
meam.” The thing will create much provoking but salutary scandal, and
will elicit much conflicting criticism.
With sincerest friendship, yours,
A. V. HT.
Please don’t let the book be printed at Berlin, and have it (if
possible) advertised before it is in the trade. My letters to Carriere
will have duly reached you, I hope?
On the 30th March, 1847, Varnhagen wrote in his diary:—“Just when I
returned home, Humboldt came in and brought a pack of manuscripts—the
letters of his brother to Mrs. Diede. Humboldt regards affairs here as
desperate, as I do myself. He consoles himself with the belief that the
constitution presented, though good for nothing at first, may result
beneficially. He expects violence of every description—atrocities
committed by the police, popular rage, and military strokes. The King,
however, Humboldt thinks, has no misgivings. He is in high spirits,
having prepared his opening speech, and no longer minds the 11th of
April, and its consequences. He never yet talked with Humboldt on
constitutional affairs. As to Michelet, Eichhorn has instigated the King
very much; but after all they will not find a reason to dismiss him,
although the King would like very much to do it, and the Minister urges
him on to it.”
On the 31st March Varnhagen adds: “Humboldt told me but yesterday that
the King was firmly believing the restoration of Don Miguel, Don Carlos,
the overthrow of the July dynasty, and that he would yet go to Paris, to
salute the legitimate king. Also, that he, Humboldt, was deemed a
Jacobin, who carried the tri-colored standard in his breeches pocket. As
for myself, I was considered a royalist, but the King had prejudices
against me. They think it strange that my old friend Canitz should not
have enlightened the King on my behalf; that they did not ask my advice,
and avail themselves of my services in the present situation.
Wittgenstein also has talked in this manner with Humboldt. They forget
only one thing: that I neither can nor will—the one and the other, with
equal determination.”
The nobility is terribly excited; the change is remarkable; self-esteem
is mightily roused. The devil himself could not have invented more
efficacious ways of provoking the hostility of this whole class than
this monstrous “Herrenstand.”
_A Dream._—I saw the King weeping bitterly, and crying: so far it has
come. Well, I will resign! May my brother take charge of the whole, and
be happier than I was!
March 27th, 1847, Varnhagen wrote the following repartee of Humboldt in
his diary: “Humboldt recited, good-humoredly, that a certain Mr. Massow,
in the Assembly, had characterized liberalism as a felony. He, Humboldt,
was therefore a twofold felon, as Minister Bodelschwingh considered
literary men felonious.”
On the 11th July, 1847, Varnhagen observes: “This morning Humboldt came
in quite unexpectedly. He is in good health and spirits, and denies
having been really sick. He says that the King lives in a whirlpool of
pleasure, that he is often extravagantly gay; thinks no longer of the
Chamber, except when reminded of it, when he becomes immediately grave
and sullen. The ministers, however, are full of anger—Savigny and
Eichhorn particularly so. Foremost, however, is Bodelschwingh, who is
always exciting the King to strong measures. Canitz acts this time in a
conciliatory and compromising spirit. Bodelschwingh cannot bear being
deprived of the imaginary triumph of his visionary premiership by the
Chambers. Humboldt is engaged on the final sheets of his second volume.
He is going to Paris next September.”
134.
BERLIN, _Jan. 18th, 1849_.
If I appear slow, my dear Varnhagen, and rather laconic to-day in
offering you my thanks for your friendly presents and your letter, and
your congratulations, you will not ascribe it to a diminution of my true
esteem and friendship. I have had but now the enjoyment of what you
alone are entitled to call “A Plain Discourse.”[55]
How much more fearful, and at the same time hopeful, a turn events have
taken. They only know how to oppose brute force to the impending danger,
and are afraid themselves to pluck the proffered fruit.
Romuald’s “Vocation”[56] deserves, no doubt, the severest censure. What
an abuse of his most eminent talents! We will talk about it as soon as I
shall have done with the “Ordenstag[57]” and the annoyances of the
Academy elections of my order. _La petite piece_ side by side with the
great world’s drama.
With the old attachment,
Yours,
A. V. HT.
There never was nobler praise bestowed on the King than in “The Plain
Discourse.”
The little work, “Plain Discourse to the Germans on the Duties of the
Day. Berlin, 1848,” is from the pen of Varnhagen. A few months later, on
the 10th of May, 1849, the author himself thus speaks of it in his
diary: “I have been re-reading what I wrote in August last on Frederick
William IV., and what I wrote in 1840, the day after he received the
homage of his subjects. What strange sensations it provokes! Do what I
will, awake or asleep, I cannot for a moment shake off the nightmare of
consciousness of our political condition, although I know full well how
ephemeral it is, how certain the retribution, and how bright the
ultimate future. Arouse then, my country, arouse! Civil war is thy fate,
but it is not thy choice. Go on thy way undaunted, and be the blood on
the head of those who willed it not otherwise. At a time like this it is
not the successes but the failures of the moment that are of profit to
the people.”
This is the place to interpose another visit from Humboldt to Varnhagen.
On the 12th of February, 1849, the latter wrote in his diary: “Humboldt
called. He thinks it absurd in the ministers to talk of meeting the
Chambers, when they cannot find men to make up their own number. Even
Kuehlwetter disdains to join them. My opinion that the constitution
imposed by the government is merely a husk concealing the germ of a new
revolution, which will shortly burst forth, startled him a little; but
he was much pleased with the notion that the King has been embroiled
with the canon of logic for the last eight years past. He says the King
was disposed to return to Canitz as Minister of Foreign Affairs!
Eichhorn also vouchsafes his advice, and, like the lady of Privy
Counsellor ——, talks of the Pietists as if he had never belonged to
them.
“The ‘Staats Anzeiger’ publishes the Austrian note in regard to the
German question. Austria will not withdraw, but will have a voice in the
counsels of the empire, and will not tolerate a variety of things, such
as popular sovereignty, or any leadership except its own. A fling at
Prussia, a fling at Frankfort, and particularly at Gagern. There it is!
Everything plays into the hands of the revolution!”
135.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
POTSDAM, _August 16th, 1849_.
Whenever I enjoy the fancy of having written a few lines grateful to my
ears, I always ask myself whether they would also please you, my valued
friend. You know, or rather you do not know, that the Princess of
Prussia has deposited a splendid album, with numerous autographs and
painted initials, in those halls of the Chateau at Weimar which have
been dedicated to Goethe, Schiller, and to Herder and Wieland, maligned
by Schiller in his letters to Koerner. I have been compelled to write a
preface, which Galuski has translated quite happily. The Grand-Duchess
desired a French version for the benefit of foreign travellers who might
open the album. Look upon this little memento of your friend with
indulgence. There is blood on the horizon, and it makes me sad. I need
not remind you of the friendship and esteem of
Yours,
A. V. HUMBOLDT.