Humboldt's Letters. 



19. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



BERLIN, May 15th, 1835, Tuesday. 



MY time is, unfortunately, so much occupied by the 

 many princely strangers, and I am so affected by the 

 cold, though not at all bracing weather, that I can 

 scarcely find leisure to thank you, dear friend, for the 

 " Bollmann" * and the biographical sketch of him, in 

 which I recognised at once your pen, and also the 

 " retouchings," when the " Staats Zeitung" fell into my 

 hands. One should not undertake to speak of distin- 

 guished men in such papers ; it is a difficult task, even 

 for a man of your genius, to keep the proper course 

 between the family, the censor, and the cold, indifferent 

 public. 



The name of " Mundt" has recalled to me some 

 remarkable pages of his " Madonna," on the tendency 

 of the Germans to sentimental lucubrations. There is 



* Bollmann, a German who resided a long time in the United 

 States, and who is known by his bold attempts to liberate Lafayette 

 from the prison of Olmutz. Translator. 



