211.
THIERS TO HUMBOLDT.
(FROM THE FRENCH.)
PARIS, _May 14th, 1857_.
MY DEAR M. DE HUMBOLDT—I take the liberty of commending to your goodness
shown so often to myself and to Frenchmen generally, M. Duvergier de
Hauranne, who goes to Germany to show it to his young son. You know our
country too well for me to tell you what important and always honorable
part has been sustained by M. Duvergier de Hauranne in our assemblies,
where he has ever been faithful to the cause of rational liberty; and
not faithful alone, but eminently useful. Having returned to private
life and devoted himself to study, he goes to see your excellent
country, and I thought I could not do better than to recommend him to
your kindness. To his young son it will be an imperishable recollection
to have seen the illustrious savan who does the greatest honor to the
century, and whom we Frenchmen have the vanity to consider as French,
and belonging to us no less than to Germany.
I do not write on current affairs here, for M. Duvergier de Hauranne
knows them, and can make you acquainted with them better than any other
man.
Accept the renewed homage of my respectful attachment.