136 MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN BULLETIN 
place the same on the top of the plinth and let me know imme- 
diately if all is right, so that if there is anything to alter it can 
still be done here. 
“I would like to know the exact depth of the space where the 
reliefs are to be set; it must be at least two centimetres com- 
mencing with the frame. 
“With many kind regards and hoping to hear from you, I am, 
“Yours very respectfully, 
“F. v.- Miller.” 
“Munich, November 2, 1877. 
“Dear Sir: 
“The day before yesterday I have sent you my last letter and 
today I receive yours of October 14th; you may imagine how 
astonished I was, Your wishes cannot be satisfied any more. The 
reliefs of Humboldt are entirely completed; some parts of the 
statue itself are already cast, the others are being molded. The 
cost to the entire completion may yet be 2000 dollars; if it is 
not going to be completed 4500 dollars will be lost, because almost 
nothing of the work can be used. The model is cut in pieces and 
va - the mold; the mold is worthless if nothing is to be cast 
into it. 
“I cannot agree with your last opinion, that Humboldt should, 
through the progress of science, be put in the background. I 
rather find the inscription that you want to have engraved on the 
monument, which says, ‘In honor of the most accomplished tray- 
eller of this or any other age’ very correct and I am sure that 
this will be true for all times. Humboldt will for science always 
remain the second discoverer of America. And how little they 
think in our country that Humboldt should be less esteemed in 
the future is shown by the fact that in Berlin a monument is 
going to be erected for the great discoverer for the price of ‘one 
hundred thousand marks.’ 
~ must confess that if you had asked me before Humboldt was 
finished if Columbus or Humboldt, I also would have pleaded for 
Columbus. He is the man who has discovered America, and is 
therefore more popular for the great mass. But Humboldt’s merits 
are only known by the learned men and his theories are the founda- 
tion for a new science. Just imagine how disagreeable it would 
be for me if Humboldt almost finished would not be erected. Even 
if no material damage would result. for me, how happy is the 
artist whose work finds the general admiration and satisfaction. 
No one would believe the real cause, the more as the generous 
idea of a noble American citizen is known to a large extent and the 
work itself generally admired. 
“My proposition would therefore be if you will in no case erect 
the Humboldt as a pendant for Shakespeare to put the same in 
your Missouri Botanical Garden or in any other place, or else even, 
this would be very sad to me, sell it to any other city or museum. 
I believe that the sum for the monument without the pedestal is 
so small that you would have no difficulty in selling a work of art 
like this ; for without praisin, myself I can say that it is a 
Success in every respect. I shall then make a Columbus for you 
for the same amount of money that I asked for late Humboldt. 
The best would, of course, be to put Humboldt on his old place in 
the eb and you have a Columbus made for some other place, 
but larger than these two statues are, for Columbus has a great 
