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PREFACE. 



THE following letters of Humboldt furnish a con- 

 tribution of the highest importance to the true, correct, 

 and unveiled representation of his genius and charac- 

 ter. That they should be delivered to publicity after 

 his death was his desire and intent, which have found 

 their positive impression in the words preceding this 

 book as its motto. Never has he spoken out his 

 mind more freely and sincerely, than in his communi- 

 cations with Yarnhagen, his old and faithful friend, 

 whom he esteemed and loved before all others. In 

 him he placed an unlimited confidence ; with him he 

 deposited those letters received by him, which he 

 desired to be saved for their importance, while he 

 used to destroy nearly all others. He presumed that 

 Varnhagen, the junior of the two, would survive him. 



