62 Humboldt's Letters. 



symbol of progress, and those, who rule now (the Berlin 

 world's elephants) sont des momies en service extra- 

 ordinaire. 



Good night, 



A. HUMBOLDT. 



33. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAOEK 



BERLIN, TUESDAY, November 1th, 1837. 



THE commencement of my letter is weak, the end of 

 it more reasonable. But you should not lose the dra- 

 matic effect of the whole. 



What you ask, my dear friend, is very perilous, for the 

 question is not about my feelings, but about a family who 

 anxiously interpret. The more striking and spirited your 

 delineation is, particularly p. 10-15, ("He s-tarted from 

 ideas." ..." That which many deny to him entirely.") . . . 

 it impresses me uncomfortably, the more because it is in 

 so short an essay, and because it would appear less harsh 

 in the description of a whole life which was, in a literary 

 and political point of view, not unimportant. But this 

 more complete description is impossible now ; therefore, 

 my wish is incessantly to secure his renown by the pub- 

 lication of his literary works. To leave out anything, 



