6o Humboldt's Letters. 



With you all is profound and subdued, and you pos- 

 sess what is wanting in the other, unceasing grace and 

 freshness of language. 



A. HUMBOLDT. 



I have badly arranged my life ; I do every thing for 

 becoming prematurely stupid. I would gladly abandon 

 " the European beef," which Hegel's phantasy presents 

 as so much better than the American, and I could almost 

 wish to live near the weak inanimate crocodiles (which, 

 alas! measure 25 feet). Pp. 442-444, are certainly made 

 more palatable to me by our noble friend. 



31. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEK 



BERLIN, October 4th, 1837. 



You delight sometimes in arresting fleeting events, 

 and in preserving what the winds usually carry away. I 

 therefore send you, dear friend, the little speech, which 

 the papers have published in such a mutilated form. The 

 sense of it will please you, although its neglected style 

 might be better. Political Hanover I found, as you 

 supposed ; and private conversations with King Ernest, 



