FROM ACCESSION OF FREDERICK WILLIAM IV. TO 1848. 243 



Humboldt had been exerting himself in favour of Raumer, 

 against Ranke, and had only succeeded in securing Meyerbeer's 

 vote in addition to his own, which caused him to complain 

 bitterly to Dirichlet of the 'political unfaithfulness' of the 

 rest. Upon discovering how much the king was set upon 

 Ranke's election, he paid Ranke a visit on August 10, 1855, 

 to offer him his congratulations, and communicated in a note 

 to the king the news of his election and of the visit he had 

 paid. The success of this proceeding is shown by the following 

 note of thanks from Frederick William at Potsdam. ' Pray 

 receive my heartiest thanks, my esteemed friend, for your valued 

 letter of to-day. You were anxious to give me a pleasure, and 

 in this you have succeeded. Your wish to be the bearer of 

 glad tidings to Ranke has met, no doubt, with equal success. 

 You have thus made yourself a happy day, which I hope may 

 bring you a blessing. Till our next happy meeting, your sincere 

 friend and admirer, Frederick William.' 



The friendship entertained by Humboldt for his sovereign 

 was in nothing more evident than in his efforts ' to foster in 

 him all schemes likely to render him popular.' l No opportunity 

 of this nature appeared to him insignificant. Thus in the 

 spring of 1844 he persuaded the king to attend the perform- 

 ance of the ' Captivi ' of Plautus, given by the students of the 

 University of Berlin. ' I am wishful for the king to take an 

 interest in everything whereby he may win general confidence 

 and prove himself a friend to the rising generation,' writes 

 Humboldt to Bockh, in reference to this subject. Nearly all 

 his endeavours to exert any influence in politics arose from a 

 feeling of personal regard to his sovereign. The complaints to 

 which he gives utterance on the failure of his projects give the 

 most distinct evidence of the personal sympathy by which he 

 was acuated. Humboldt's criticisms on the character and deeds 

 of Frederick William IV. are not to be attributed to a wish to 

 censure, but rather to his warm sympathy and reverential regard. 

 If his remarks became increasingly severe, it must be attributed 

 to the growing sorrow he experienced at the intractable and 

 obstinate disposition of the king, as well as to the justifiable 



1 ' Literarischer Xachlass von Fr. von Raumer/ vol. i. p. 20, -No. 9. 



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