360 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



purest of all enjoyments. These feelings of deep gratitude have 

 inspired me with the wish to dedicate to you in conjunction 

 with M. Delambre the astronomical portion of my work, and I 

 earnestly solicit your permission in the name of Herr Oltmanns 

 and myself. . . . It is an inexpressible happiness to me to have 

 met here with Herr Oltmanns ; he is a wonderful young man, 

 entirely self-educated, and full of talent, modesty, and astonish- 

 ing perseverance. He seems to live solely for astronomy, and 

 for a fortnight together he scarcely leaves his work ; he pos- 

 sesses great facility in the higher branches of calculation, and 

 is exceedingly well read. Men who love science for its own 

 sake are rare. . . . Although I give but little time to sleep, 

 and am by no means idle, I cannot get on as fast with the pub- 

 lishing of my great work as the world seems to expect. I am 

 anxious to prepare something of undoubted value, and I am 

 therefore indifferent at finding myself somewhat unjustly cen- 

 sured by the unfriendly portion of the public.' . . . 



To Wattenbach. 



1 Berlin : April 10, 1807. 



' Dearest Wattenbach, In days gone by, when you were 

 destined for the Church, and I was studying book-keeping in 

 preparation for a business career, we used to be very intimate. 

 Since then you have fulfilled my part in life though I have 

 not entered upon yours ; yet notwithstanding this change of 

 plan, and my long absence, I am sure you have not forgotten 

 me. I at least can recall with pleasure the happy intercourse 

 we had together as youths, and the pleasant home circle, en- 

 livened by the amiable cheerfulness of your noble disposition. 

 With the confidence inspired by these bright reminiscences, I 

 venture to recommend to your notice the bearer of these lines, 

 Herr Moritz Eobert .... a young man for whom I have great 

 regard, brother of a lady of remarkable intellectual endowments. 1 



' Poor Dohna has to act host to a number of emperors and 

 kings who have invited themselves into his domain. I saw Grill 

 at Barcelona, very interesting, but rather melancholy, and in 

 shattered health. I should be very glad to hear something of 

 Dashwood, for I have lost sight of him for the last fifteen 



1 Rahel. 



