FROM ACCESSION OF FREDERICK WILHIAM IV. TO 1848. 255 



'in the event of the question of slavery becoming a subject of 

 contention in America, the political constitution of the States 

 would be in great danger ;' he had wished ' not to survive to wit- 

 ness this occurrence,' * evidently because he was loth to behold, 

 with the suppression of slavery, the ruin of a country which, 

 with the exception of this one blot, most nearly approached his 

 political ideal. How greatly would it have cheered the evening 

 of his life, could he have been permitted to see, almost simul- 

 taneously with the abolition of serfdom in Eussia, the disgrace 

 of slavery washed away by the United States of America in 

 the blood of her citizens without entailing the ruin of the 

 country. But this was Humboldt's fate, as he expressed him- 

 self once to Frobel, 6 to live, unfortunately, to his eighty-ninth 

 year ' and, unfortunately, to die in his ninetieth year ' be- 

 cause, of all for which from his youth up he 'had zealously 

 striven, he had witnessed so little actually accomplished.' 

 Little as he had been cheered by success in his noble aspira- 

 tions for the world's progress, he was equally doomed to dis- 

 appointment in the hopes he had cherished for His own country, 

 whether viewed as Prussia or Germany. 



It was but too soon manifest to Humboldt, to his bitter sor- 

 row, that Frederick William IV. was not the man to aid in the 

 fulfilment of such hopes. We have followed his criticisms upon 

 the king's character up to the beginning of the year 1842 ; 

 those referring to the succeeding years evince no less sympathy 

 with his royal friend, but reveal gradually increasing distrust 

 in any hopes for the future. * The king,' be remarks in a 

 letter to Bunsen* of January 7, 1842, ' is nobler in character, 

 and intellectually superior to all around him. Oh that he 

 could only find tools to wosk with, and leisure amid the constant 

 pressure of the small daily duties with which he is burdened 1 

 . . . Towards me, against whom, as well as yourself, the aristo- 

 cratic party are extremely enraged, he is remarkably gracious. 

 I am looked upon by that party as an old tricolour flag, kept in 

 reserve to be displayed whenever a suitable occasion shall arise.' 

 The journey to England on which he started the ensuing week, 



I 



1 " Briefweehsel mit Berghaus/ vol. i. p. 16. 



2 ' Briefe an Bunsen,' No. 35. 



