272 ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



indemnification, one of the first acts of Frederick William IV., 

 was no more- than was to be expected from the expressions he 

 had made use of when crown prince. 1 This opportunity for 

 a display of pure German patriotism ' was eagerly seized upon 

 by Humboldt, who used every endeavour that the arrangements 

 should be carried out c in a direct and strictly official manner.' 

 The cause of the Grimms was advocated personally by the king, 

 so that the interference of Bettina von Arnim could well have 

 been dispensed with, as Humboldt saw reason to apprehend dan- 

 ger from her undiplomatic mode of procedure. To Humboldt 

 alone is due the simultaneous recall of Albrecht and Dahlmann, 

 in whose favour he himself drew up a memorial for presenta- 

 tion to the king. Under the conviction that Dahlmann was 

 in every way fitted to ' secure the renown of a university,' he 

 induced Ladenberg, who till the autumn of 1840 had provi- 

 sionally undertaken the administration of public instruction, 

 to* nominate him, ' with many flattering expressions,' to a 

 vacancy at Breslau. ' Consideration for Hanover,' however, 

 withheld the king from confirming the appointment. Albrecht 

 felt himself too much under obligation to Saxony to avail him- 

 self of the recall. On the accession to office of Eichhorn, the 

 new minister for public instruction, Humboldt conceived him- 

 self obliged to abstain from any interference ; nevertheless he 

 - could not but rejoice 'that the Government had asserted its 



independence.' 



J Although Humboldt may have beer; restricted in his efforts 

 in favour of the Grottingen professors by important political 

 considerations, he showed his genuine interest in science by 

 inducing the king, during the first months of his reign, to grant 

 7,000 thalers yearly to the University of Konigsberg and 

 20,000 thalers to that of Berlin. 2 By such munificence the 

 slender finances of the minister for public instruction were so 

 nearly exhausted, that, in procuring a position for Felix Men- 

 delssohn and Cornelius, he found with regret that the king was 

 obliged to create funds. In securing this honour for Berlin, 

 he was warmly seconded by Bunsen, in concert with whom he 



1 ' Briefe an Varnhagen,' No. 40. On the recall of the seven, see ibid., 

 Nos. 48 and 61. ' Briefe an Bunsen,' p. 47. 



2 < Briefe an Bunsen,' p. 40. 



