Humboldt's Letters. 65 



things which you yourself, here and there, hardly 

 approved of. 



" II n'y a rien de maudit," said the great painter, 

 Gerard, " que de consulter la famille sur la ressemblance 

 du defunt. II y a de quoi se prendre, telle est leur 

 exigeance ! Us auraient fait bon marche du parent 

 vivant." Thus you will speak of me. I now ask my- 

 self, at the close, whether I am not depriving the 

 brother whom I loved so tenderly and so watchfully r , of 

 a great renown, by asking you in the beginning not to 

 print your article ? 



Certainly I would deprive him of renown, for who 

 will ever write of him so very truly and eloquently. 

 Therefore, what I wish to sacrifice, what I dare to beg, 

 is so trifling, so easy to change with* your versatility of 

 style! It refers to the few lines, which I underlined, 

 pp. 13 and 14, Rahel's opinion, pp. 14 and 15, not 

 included ; for she always is mild and just and charming. 



Take my warmest, most heartfelt thanks, my revered 

 friend ! Do not answer me. I shall call on you to- 

 morrow morning, about twelve o'clock. 



Yours, A. HUMBOLDT. 



