22 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
your hands, I could not consent to bury such a prize. You have 
already published one of your son’s letters to me, which, though im- 
portant, is far less valuable than the present, Only let me have the 
honour of being mentioned as the individual to whom it was addressed ; 
for I feel no little pride in being known to enjoy the friendship and 
correspondence of your son. When he returns to us in spring, he will 
find his own fame widely diffused and solidly based. At all events, 
do me the favour to inspect the printing of this document, and let it 
be done from a copy made under your own eye. 
Our illustrious geographer, M. C. Ritter, was so kind, as to tran- 
scribe it for me; but we are still doubtful about many of the names of 
places, though we have carefully referred to several maps. 
It has given me great pleasure to receive a“confirmation, in this 
letter, of many guesses which I had ventured on the subject of the 
soi-disant table-land of Thibet ;—also, on the question whether the 
Himalaya presents a continuous crest, clad with perpetual snow, or 
whether the loftiest peaks are not rather situated out of the line of a 
medial axis ;—also, whether my notions upon the limits of eternal 
snow, on the two slopes, and the causes of their apparent irregularity, 
would ever be confirmed on the spot by an impartial and well-informed 
eye-witness. This is now the second time that your son and Mr. Hodgson 
have given their testimony to the accuracy of the opinions which I 
advanced in my ‘ Central Asia,’ a work which has never been translated 
into English, but which is that in which I think I have brought for- 
ward more novel information than in any of my other publications. 
I have felt deeply anxious about your health, and my satisfaction is 
proportionably lively at hearing that your strength is considerably re- - 
stored. I have lived, ever since 1848, in the midst of political exeite- 
ment and popular insurrection, and I ean truly aver that my chief 
comfort has arisen from my literary labours, often prolonged far into 
the night. I have just published my third and exclusively astronomi- 
cal volume of * Kosmos. Health and powers are still mercifully 
granted to me; whilst the dearest friend I have on earth, M. Arago, is 
threatened with the loss of his sight. 
And now I do entreat you, my dear and kind old friend, to excuse 
the length of this almost illegible eng and to receive the assurance 
of my affectionate and respectful re; ' 
ee ALEXANDER HUMBOLDT. 
Potsdam, Dec. 11th, 1850. 
