Humboldt's Letters. 77 



know how to win them, by availing himself of their 

 loyal emotions. On the day when the news of the final 

 election in Gottingen arrived in Hanover, I would have 

 sent an aide-de-camp or a civil officer to Gottingen, to 

 thank the professors, and ask them whether they would 

 like to have the whole seven professors reappointed." 

 These are words flowing from a noble soul. Of your 

 article on Niebuhr, I do not speak to the Crown- 

 Prince, though I entirely agree with you regarding it. 

 With old attachment, 



Yours, A. v. HDT. 



41. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



WEDNESDAY, March ISffi, 1840. 



AN insipid polemical book of Mr. Gretsch, against 

 Melgunoff, and against the book of Koenig, which is 

 entirely unknown to me, full of Siberia, strangulation, 

 secret funds, and Russian patriotism an insufferable re- 

 hash ! Will you read it, my dear friend ? For you alone 

 understand it entirely. The book might almost recon- 

 cile me with Mr. Melgunoff, against whom I have felt 

 some anger. I have, it is true, neither a recollection 

 of him nor of my conversation with him ; but he must 



