FEOM ACCESSION OF FRP^DEKICK WILLIAM IV. TO 1848. 



derstanding pronounced them to be futile. His political friends 

 at one time cherished the hope, when his credit and influence 

 with the- king appeared to be on the decline, that he would 

 summon resolution to retire for a time even only for a week 

 or two as an act of defiance. 1 It' was thought that by this 

 means he would secure a triumph, since it was feared that the 

 zealous enterprises he was then engaged upon would only injure 

 him and hasten his fall. But from his yielding and pliant 

 nature he was as little capable of ' defiance ' as Be was of 

 desiring such a triumph. As his friends must have been well 

 aware, he was a sincere friend to the king, and less eager in his 

 own interests than in those of his sovereign. 2 Bettina von 

 Arnim, who endeavoured in vain by a fearless attack upon the 

 king to induce his reception of enlightened views, in which she 

 frequently called in the assistance of Humboldt, thereby 'laying 

 upon him heavier burdens than he could bear,' 3 awards him 

 the praise of being ' the only man at court who was actuated 

 by motives other than those of personal interest, who warmly 

 cherished every right feeling, and whose conduct was invariably 

 noble and upright.' 4 On this very account he preferred to 

 remain in a position fraught with so much personal inconve- 

 nience rather than free himself from it by any effort of his own. 

 He was disposed to think his presence at court was of some 

 value ' if only he was instrumental in effecting any slight deed 

 of benevolence, although in the more important affairs of 

 general interest everything might go against his wishes ; ' 5 and 

 was thankful c when he could make use at least of the intellec- 

 tual interests still cherished by the king.' 6 Moreover, up to 

 the eve of the Eevolution he still 'reckoned securely upon 

 his noble temperament in the steps demanded by progress.' 7 

 That such an amount of confidence was possible can only be 

 explained by the peculiar character of Frederick William. 

 Might he not, from the uncertainty of his disposition, suddenly 

 take the direction in which the stream of popular feeling had 

 long pressed him in vain ? In one so remarkable for instability 



1 Varnhagen, ' Tagebiicher/ vol. ii. p. 248 ; also pp. 247, 250, 267, 274. 



2 Ibid. vol. i. p. 251. 3 Ibid. vol. iii. p. 477. 4 Ibid. vol. ii. p. 73. 



5 Letter to Schumacher of July 3, 1844. 



6 ' Briefe an Bunsen/ p. 88. 7 Ibid. p. 101. 



