Humboldt's Letters. 39 



description of the earth by Professor Zeune. My brother 

 is also for the title " Kosmos." I myself hesitated for 

 a long time. Now, grant me a favor, my dear friend. 

 I cannot prevail upon myself to send away the com- 

 mencement of my manuscript without entreating you 

 to cast a critical eye over it. You possess such an 

 eminent talent for style, and you have at the same time 

 so much genius and independence of judgment, that you 

 do not quite discard the style of others because it differs 

 from your own. Please read the " Discours," and put 

 in a little sheet on which you write without giving 

 any reasons. " So .... I would better like, so .... 

 instead of . ..." Do, however, not condemn without 

 assisting me ! and do also ease my mind as to the title. 



With the utmost confidence, yours, 



Monday. A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



The principal faults of my style are an unhappy inclina- 

 tion to hyper-poetical forms, long constructions upon 

 participles, and too much concentrating of manifold 

 views and sentiments in one and the same period. I 

 think, however, that these radical evils, founded in my 

 individuality, are somewhat lessened by a grave simpli- 

 city and generalization, enabling me to contemplate my 

 subject with a complete mastery of its details, if I may 

 be permitted so much vanity. A book on nature should 

 produce an impression like nature itself. I have been 



