Humboldt's Letters. 103 



More will be suggested than elaborated. ' Much will be 

 well understood by those only who know thoroughly 

 jne special branch of natural history ; but I think my 

 style is such as to confuse no one, not even the superfi- 

 cial. My real aim is to hover over those results which 

 are known in 1841. Mens agitat molem, may the 

 mind still be there ! 



That such a work cannot be finished by one born 

 in the comet-year, 1769, is as clear as daylight. The 

 separate fragments will appear in parts of twelve to 

 fifteen sheets each, so that those who may see me buried 

 will possess in each fragment some one subject com- 

 plete. Thus of the "Prolegomena," there will be 

 No. 1-4 ; My " incentive, " descriptive poetry, which 

 you have not yet seen, is a chief feature of the work 

 on which I rely a good deal. Xo. 5. The history of 

 man's conception of the world, which is quite finished, 

 will form the entire second book. Plain scientific 

 description will always be intermingled with the orato- 

 rical, like nature itself. The glittering stars fill us 

 with joy and inspiration, yet in the canopy of heaven 

 all bodies revolve in mathematical figures. It is essential 

 to preserve a dignified style, so that the impression 

 of nature's greatness will not be wanting. I hope 

 you will not find fault with my quoting (C) in a note 

 the passage from Shakespeare which is but little known. 



All the notes are to be printed in very small type at 



