62 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



Berlin shared the enthusiasm which the new discovery had 

 awakened. Blanchard was the most feted hero of the day. 

 The ascent was made an imposing spectacle, and the parade 

 ground, at that time in front of the Brandenburg gate, was 

 selected as the place of exhibition, where 2,000 troops of the 

 garrison were stationed to keep the ground. The whole court 

 was present. The queen and the princesses wore bonnets a la 

 Blanchard, which were in the form of a balloon, with a parachute 

 hung on the right side and a car with banners on the left. A 

 royal carriage drawn by six horses conveyed the aeronaut back 

 from the place where he alighted, the troops saluted him with 

 the highest military honours, the public greeted him at the 

 theatre with shouts of applause, and the king distinguished 

 him by marks of personal favour. Besides the munificent gifts 

 showered upon him by royal personages, he realised the sum 

 of 12,000 thalers as the proceeds of his exhibitions. 



The last leaf of the foregoing letter appears to have been 

 purposely torn off, but from a small piece still remaining we 

 gather that it contained some reference to Wollner and his 

 edict. Fortunately the following passage in another letter has 

 been preserved : c Now that Zollner has a seat in the Con- 

 sistory, I learn something of what is going on. You have no 

 doubt heard the result of the debates upon the examination of 

 candidates. With your extensive learning you have no cause 

 for anxiety in the matter, but I confess I am alarmed for such 

 men as Albanus, Kohler, Schiiz, Israel, &c. . . . Wollner's 

 first proposition was that the examinations should be conducted 

 throughout in Latin, and this is the principal alteration. 

 Whoever, therefore, cannot speak Latin must be rejected. 

 Wollner insists further on being present at each examination, 

 which so far (his zeal will soon wear itself out !) he has 

 actually accomplished. Both of these regulations appear to- 

 me to be very injudicious. Many men may possess a good 

 knowledge of Latin and yet be totally unable to speak it, and 

 vice versa. Of what use will it be to a country parson to be 

 able to speak Latin ? Would not the aim the examiners have 

 in view be more successfully accomplished by deciding as to 

 the usefulness of the intellectual gifts of the future preacher 

 than by catechising him on the whole range of Christian ter- 



