264 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



brought to his mind an expression made use of by William von 

 Humboldt, that liberal ministers were as difficult to find as 

 liberal princes. 1 In 'a state of extreme indignation at the 

 condition of State affairs,' he once sent Varnhagen an ' appro- 

 priate ' quotation, describing ' the wrath of God against man's 

 abuse of power,' and representing the regret the Almighty 

 might be supposed to feel at having given to the world the 

 form of monarchical government ; but it was doubtless with 

 feelings of sincere grief that he alluded to the ' atrocious ' 

 outrage, 2 concerning which he subjoined the frank confession: 

 < Strange that it should so rarely happen that anyone attempts 

 to shoot the minister, or the cabinet council ! ' 3 The ineffi- 

 ciency of the ministry caused Humboldt to feel keenly the 

 retirement from office, on account of serious illness, in the 

 autumn of 1845, of Baron Biilow, who had been for some years 

 Minister of Foreign Affairs, and was related to him by mar- 

 riage with his niece, the daughter of William von Humboldt. 

 He was regarded by Humboldt as 'one of the most liberal- 

 minded and distinguished statesmen of the day,' and was the 

 only member of the council with whom he had been able fully 

 to sympathise. In this ' melancholy event ' he had but the 

 negative consolation of feeling 'that the powerful current of 

 politics in North Grermany was much too strong to be stemmed 

 by any one individual.' 4 



To a character like Frederick William IV., the personages 

 surrounding him, who had power to elicit his confidence either 

 from sympathy of feeling or similarity of thought, were almost 

 of more importance than the members of the ministry. But 

 even to these associates of his royal master Humboldt was un- 

 able to extend his cordial approval. Bunsen, Kadowitz, and 

 Kanitz appeared to him in the light of three physicians, by 

 whom the king regularly submitted to be treated year after 

 year ; but he failed to perceive that by their means any cure 

 was effected. 5 With Bunsen he was constrained to sympathise 



1 Letter to Bockh. 



2 [The life of the king was attempted by Tesch on July 6, 1844.] 

 ' Briefe an Varnhagen,' Nos. 100, 101, 120. 



4 Ibid. No. 97. 



6 Varnhagen's < Tagebiicher,' vol. iii. p. 269. 



