Humboldt's Letters. 67 



35. 



HITMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



BERLIN, August Sd, 1838. 



You are for me, my dearest friend, the standard 

 of refinement as well as my authority in matters of 

 elevated taste. I have written two articles (not hereto- 

 fore published) for Cotta's "New Quarterly," with 

 which his advisers are very much delighted, viz.: a 

 natural description of the Plateau of Bogota, and on the 

 fluctuations in the production of coin since the middle 

 age. He sends me for them (they fill four printed 

 sheets) an exchange for fifty fredericksdor's, or more 

 than twelve fredericksdor's per sheet. I have a mind 

 (although very much in need of money) to return one 

 half the sum. Before carrying out, however, the reso- 

 lution, I thought it best to ask, what at the present 

 time may be considered as a maximum of an author's 

 payment for such articles? Is it six, eight, or ten 

 fredericksdor's? I would then return only in pro- 

 portion. It may be of some importance hereafter to 

 me. Excuse the prosaic question, and send me some 

 word of answer one of these days. I am going to the 



Island to-day. 



HT. 



