FKOM KEVOLUTION OF JUL* TO DEATH OF THE KING. 171 



action, and irresolution,' as this discontented legitimist was 

 pleased to designate the sympathy evinced by Prussia in the 

 events of 1830. 1 Humboldt himself was in favour of a peaceful 

 settlement of the question of the day, because he saw that ' the 

 financial position of Prussia suffered severely from the attitude 

 of suspense and warlike preparation enforced by a policy of 

 mutual intimidation (de peur mutuelle qu'on donne et qu'on 

 recoit).' 2 In this sense he agreed even with Cancrin in with- 

 holding sympathy from many of the disturbances that had arisen 

 in the west of Europe, as for instance in the contentions over 

 Antwerp ; only that he attributed the blame in that case more 

 to the unstatesmanlike conduct and temper of Lord Palmerston 

 than to the ' gentle dogmatism of the thoroughly unpractical 

 doctrinaire? He received with dignified politeness the peevish 

 complaints of the Kussian minister over the degeneracy of the 

 times, and the fresh assumptions of 'the patched piece of 

 wretchedness called man ; ' the subject of Poland was mutually 

 avoided in their correspondence. In proportion as Humboldt 

 became more intimately connected with France, an increasing 

 estrangement crept into his relationships with Eussia and the 

 Czar, though a form of politeness was preserved, for in matters 

 of courtesy Humboldt never failed ; he had already declined, in 

 1831, a pressing invitation from the Emperor to undertake a 

 second expedition. Towards Count Cancrin he ever cherished 

 feelings of respect and friendship, much as he regretted the 

 bad effects ' of the prohibitory system so rigorously carried out 

 by this intelligent statesman.' 



To return to Humboldt's relationships with France. Upon 

 the occasion of the memorable visit of the Duke of Orleans, 

 in May 1836, to Berlin whither he came in company with 

 his brother, the Duke of Nemours, as a preparatory step to 

 a matrimonial alliance with the House of Mecklenburg 

 Humboldt naturally occupied a position of importance, in 

 interposing between the gracious urbanity of the royal visitors 

 and the haughty reserve and cool demeanour of the court. 



1 l Preussen und Frankreich zur Zeit der Julire volution,' p. 89. 



2 * Im Ural und Altai,' p. 132 j also from three unpublished letters from 

 Cancrin to Humboldt, 1831-5.. 



