Varnhagen’s diary of Dec. 3d, 1857, reads as follows: “I called on
Humboldt; M. von Olfers was just going, and told me that Rauch had died
in Dresden. Next General Count von der Groeben took his leave; he was
very cordial, and pleased with my offer to send him a man who will
republish the poems of Schenkendorf. Humboldt was full of cordiality for
Ludmilla and myself; told me about the King, about Schoenlein, about the
Princess of Prussia, about Doctor Lassalle, whose work[97] he had read
accurately in three nights, and of Friesen; spoke of the ‘Kreuz Zeitung’
with contempt, praised the Count von der Groeben as a man of honor, and
von der Heydt for his determination to leave the cabinet. He had a
letter from the Queen. The King wishes to see him, and he therefore
drives to Charlottenburg. He is hale and hearty. I read much in
Lassalle. Even the external appearance of so great and important a work
excites reverence. On me it makes peculiar impression to witness the
downfall, one by one, of the stays and rivets by which my inveterate
opinions have been upheld. Every one who has grown old has to observe
and experience such things; but in our times the changes are quicker and
more powerful than in former times, and I am peculiarly sensible to
them. Even where the contents do not matter to me, where I do not lose
in the matter, because the subjects do not belong directly to my
province, the phenomenon is nevertheless somewhat disagreeable. Such is
again my lot in regard to Schleiermacher; his work on Heraclitus was
hitherto the last word, the final disposition of all questions relating
to that philosopher; even Hegel’s adverse hints had not been able to
overturn this authority. One could rest upon it as on a downy pillow,
when lo! a new critic comes, and snatches it from under us. True,
Lassalle supplies its place with another, which is large and well
stuffed, but still the change is uncomfortable. And yet I am pleased
with this unrest of intellectual efforts, this ingenuity, learning,
progress, which asks no fear or favor.”
218.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
BERLIN, _January 11th, 1858_.
REVERED FRIEND,—I, too, am a sufferer from the returning cutaneous
affection, an unwelcome consequence of old age. You have, at least,
unconditional freedom, and can attend to your comfort; to me there is no
freedom granted; I am molested by all; most unmercifully and inexorably
by the mail. The kind memento of Mrs. Sarah Martin is very honorable to
me. I owe it, like many other things, to you. Suffer me to make you the
interpreter of my gratitude and of my faithful reverence for the
talented lady, and for her brother, so dear to me, Mr. John Taylor. The
news from Livingstone interests me chiefly on account of his views of
the susceptibility of the negro race to civilization, at a time when
France on the one hand, and North America on the other, are most
shamelessly subserving the capture of slaves in Africa, under the flimsy
pretext of introducing free laborers. The political news from India, by
Captain Meadows Taylor, was unimportant. Perhaps it is agreeable to you
to add to your archives some original letters of Count Walewski, Prince
Napoleon, who goes to Egypt, son of King Jerome, Lord Stratford de
Redcliffe, and a copy of a very finely-written letter of the Pasha of
Egypt, the original of which I was obliged to present to Dr. Brugsch.
Dr. Michael Sachs could not be prevented from celebrating me in
Hebrew.[98] Many kind greetings to the noble General von Pfuel, whom I
shall visit as soon as possible.
Yours faithfully, always equally illegible,