LEOPOLD VON RANKE. 557 



Indeed, his name is somewhat romantically associated with Bettina 

 von Arnim and Rahel Varnhagen von Ense, both of whose con- 

 versational powers and bel esprit he much admired. He married at 

 last, in 1845, an attractive Englishwoman, to whom he was truly 

 devoted, and whom he survived by many years. Two sons and one 

 married daughter are now living. One of his sons, Otto, is a clergy- 

 man, and therefore perpetuates the theological instinct of the Ranke 

 line of pastors. It was through this theological connection that the 

 sale of Ranke's private library was negotiated for the benefit of an 

 American institution. The historian himself was a man of deeply 

 religious nature, although he never attempted, like Bunsen, to deter- 

 mine special providences in human history. Ranke always gave the 

 facts. 



In personal appearance Ranke was extraordinary. The historian 

 of the world was not much over five feet in stature. But his head was 

 "finely chiselled, with a great arched forehead, exceedingly mobile 

 lips (covered only during the last few years of his life by a long white 

 beard), and very bright eyes, with an incessantly inquiring and keenly 

 interested look." A photograph which the writer has recently re- 

 ceived from Berlin was taken in Ranke's extreme old age, but the 

 historian looks younger and fresher than most men at the age of 

 seventy. The face is plump and round ; the hair abundant, the eyes 

 bright ; and the whole expression noble and majestic. He is pictured 

 sitting in his Schlafrock, or gown, in which, like many German schol- 

 ars, Ranke did his literary work, and in which he was sometimes forced, 

 much against his will, to receive the Crown Prince of Prussia, one of 

 his most admiring friends. 



In his old age Ranke continued to be the favorite of princes and 

 scholars. The best and noblest came to see him in his simple, un- 

 pretentious home, in the second flat of Luisen Strasse, No. 24 A, in 

 the old and quiet part of Berlin, north of Unter den Linden. Here, 

 in the selfsame apartment, Ranke lived for more than forty years, in 

 fact from the time he was married. A most charming glimpse of 

 Ranke at home, and apparently in good health, only three weeks 

 before his death, is that given by Sophie Weisse, daughter of a Ger- 

 man exile and a resident of Eton, England. " Her father," said Ranke 

 humorously, when introducing her to his friends, " took a somewhat 

 lively interest in the movement of 1848, and so left Berlin." When 

 his English visitor remonstrated with him for working so hard, Ranke 

 replied, with charming naivete, " Aus Faulheit, aus Faulheit ; ich 

 arbeite aus Faulheit ; ich habe ja weiter nichts mehr zu thun ! " And 



