(“Thoughts on the first Rainbow, in connexion with certain Geological
Facts.” London: 1852. The author is W. Bateman Byng, but it was sent to
Humboldt by Mr. F. A. Fokker, of Hamburg, a superannuated pilot
captain.)
On the 24th of April, 1858, Varnhagen observes in his diary: “Humboldt
was very droll yesterday, in speaking of the letters he receives. A
number of ladies in Elberfeld have conspired to labor at his conversion,
by means of anonymous letters, and have informed him of their design.
Such letters are received from time to time. Somebody in Nebraska asks
him what becomes of the swallows in winter. I suggested that this
inquiry must be for ever on the wing. ‘Of course,’ he replied; ‘I don’t
know any more than other folks, but,’ he added, with jocose gravity, ‘I
took care not to write that to the man in Nebraska, for it is never safe
to make such admissions.’”
223.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
POTSDAM, _June 19th, 1858_.
Tedious on the whole, and full of internal contradictions, but still
historical in reference to the mythical Americo-Germanism, and
unfortunately too true. See p. 76 to 80, and pp. 33, 35, 75. The charms
of a language without genders. “_Fermez les lèvres et serrez les
dents._”[103] “Der” and “die” fell into lazy mouths, and lapses into
“de,” and this was corrupted into a neutral, lifeless “the.”
Page 88 sets forth how my friend Froebel escaped being _Blumed_.