100 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



Greatly as this loss is to be regretted, there yet remain many 

 other letters of this period which serve to throw some light 

 upon Humboldt's studies and upon the circumstances by which 

 he was then surrounded. They may here be given in chrono- 

 logical order, as they need no comment. 



To His Excellency the Minister Von Heinitz at Berlin. 



1 Hamburg : September 10, 1790. 



e Sir, I. venture to flatter myself that your Excellency will 

 pardon the liberty I am taking in presenting you with the first- 

 fruits of my studies (" Observations upon some Basalts, &c."). 

 I do not aspire to the glory of ranking myself among the 

 learned geologists of my country ; for though I have had grand 

 models before me, it yet requires a bold hand to catch the style 

 of these masters. Men of noble and distinguished qualities 

 have ever been characterised by a spirit of forbearance. I ven- 

 ture, therefore, to throw myself upon your kind indulgence. 

 I am still very young, yet what little I do know, I know 

 thoroughly, and I hope through greater industry to render 

 myself eventually useful to my country, and to merit at some 

 future period the favourable notice of your Excellency. 



c With sentiments of the deepest respect and esteem, I have 

 the honour to remain, &c.' 



To Wegener. 



1 Hamburg : September 23, 1790. 



' At length a few lines once more to you, my dear friend ! 

 You are not angry with me, dear William ? nay, anger is im- 

 possible between you and me ! It is indeed very long since I 

 -wrote to you, but you well know that the frequency with which 

 ive exchange letters is no thermometer of our friendship. You 

 know the warmth and sincerity of my attachment to yourself, 

 you are aware, my dear friend, how greatly I am indebted to 

 you nothing can possibly estrange us. 



6 I trust you safely received my letter from London. You 

 probably expected me to write oftener while I was in England, 

 but I must tell you that with the exception of my own family 

 and Willdenow, you were the only person to whom I wrote 



