Humboldt's Letters 89 



HUMBOLDT TO YARNHAGEN. 



BERLIN, TUESDAY NIGHT, Oct. 27th, 1840. 

 IP I have delayed so long in coming to you, my dear 

 friend, both before and after my campaign to the North, 

 it is only because there are impossibilities in life against 

 which we battle in vain. Immediately after the festi- 

 vities in this city I intended to hasten to you, but the 

 uncertainty whether I should go to Paris (I refused, 

 because then it would not have been honorable either 

 to me or to the king, if Prussia did not dare to act 

 independently !) the approaching departure of Bulow, 

 the arrival of the sick General von Hedemann and his 

 family, together with a rheumatic fever, which kept me 

 in the house for six days, spoiled all my intentions. To- 

 morrow morning, at 8 o'clock, I have to move over again 

 to Sans Souci; but (I hope) only for some days. I, 

 therefore, now take up my pen to chat with you. First 

 my best thanks for your talented and noble treating of 

 the rather mediocre " Erinnerungen von M. Arndt /" 

 I certainly had observed his hostility towards you. The 

 tone of your criticism is the noblest kind of revenge. 





