236 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



In these words we read the eager expectation with which 

 the new monarch in his character of the friend of Humboldt 

 was greeted by men of the noblest stamp ; this was one of the 

 many phases in which the universal enthusiasm on the accession 

 of the new sovereign took shape. He had already the reputation 

 of possessing a highly gifted mind and great amiability. We 

 have had occasion ere now to observe that Humboldt found in 

 the society of the crown prince an agreeable contrast to the dry 

 and unattractive character of his intercourse with his father. 

 In presence of the susceptible temperament of the young- 

 prince, the gifted courtier could expand with fuller liberty, 

 and was often excited to the expression of his thoughts by the 

 intelligent interest of his royal listener. Owing to the many 

 interests they had in common, their conversation had ranged 

 over every branch of literature, science, and art. Political 

 questions even had not been excluded ; .in securing the release 

 of young ' demagogues,' the efforts of Humboldt had often been 

 supported by the crown prince, and upon the subject of the 

 behaviour of the King of Hanover, and the fate of the seven 

 professors of Gottingen, he had expressed Jiimself to Humboldt 

 '.with much sound sense and nobility of feeling.' 1 The cordial 

 character of their intercourse is apparent ; from the sprightly 

 tone of some confidential notes written by the prince between 

 the years 1836 40. 2 It will scarcely be inappropriate to com- 

 pare the veneration inspired in this hopeful young prince by 

 this distinguished man ;of genius with the sentiments excited by 

 Voltaire, in the mind ,of the youthful Frederick II. Upon his 

 accession to the- throne, was there not the prospect of this 

 chapter of history being re-enacted? must not Humboldt 

 become, ,as it were, the new Voltaire of Sanssouci ; and, owing 

 to a greater tact and adroitness in personal intercourse, suc- 

 ceed in maintaining such a position ? Everything, in fact, 

 tended towards this result, and to its fulfilment there was no- 

 thing wanting on, his part ; unfortunately, there lacked to this 

 Voltaire a second Frederick the Great. 



When discussing the relationship in which Humboldt stood 

 to Frederick William,; III., we made no attempt to portray in 



1 'Briefe an Varnhagen,' Nos. 40, 76, 80, 1. 



2 Ibid, No. 80, 1.-III. 



