98 Humboldt's Letters. 



intellect and wishes we are irresistibly drawn. I shall 

 personally thank you, and this very afternoon apply for 

 Mr. L. to the Princess of Prussia, and beg her Imperial 

 Highness to assist me with all earnestness. "With old 

 veneration and love, yours, 



A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



At the request of the King I took the opportunity of 

 reading to him Schelling's discourse on nature and art. 

 (Philosoph. Werke, tome 1st, 1809.) The passages con- 

 cerning Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci, and about the 

 possibility of a resuscitation of the arts, are the most 

 pleasing in our language. This lecture produced on the 

 King the effect of a beautiful song. But the bird is 

 now sixty-seven years old, and goes from one golden 

 cage to another. 



Varnhagen says in his diary, under date of April 28, 

 1841: "Humboldt came and remained more than an 

 hour and a half; I found him looking ill, but lively, 

 cheerful, and more communicative than ever. He praises 

 the King for his disposition and his intentions, but 

 thinks that he is no man of action, and that whenever 

 he acts, he does it by starts, without system or method. 

 Whether it be from kindness or timidity, at all events, 

 he often does not dare to do what he most wishes and 

 could do quite easily ; thus he expects impatiently that 

 the minister Von Werther will resign, and asks of Hum- 



