Humboldt's Letters. 135 



against Jews becoming members of the Academy ? ' 

 Minister Eichhorn knew that the King would not create 

 any difficulty in the matter, but he himself disliked it, 

 and he thought it likely that Thiele, Rochow, Stollberg, 

 and others, would also be displeased at it ; therefore he 

 left the application of the Academy, to have their elec- 

 tion confirmed by the King, unattended to for six weeks, 

 and then wrote a letter, by which he inquired of the 

 Academy, whether they were aware that Riess was a 

 Jew ? The Academy, indignant at this inquiry, replied 

 unanimously, that they were only ruled by the by-laws, 

 in concurrence with which the election had taken place, 

 and they therefore repudiated the minister's inquiry as 

 inappropriate and impertinent. Eichhorn pocketed the 

 insult, and reported the application to the King, who at 

 once confirmed the election ; feeling, however, a little 

 disinclined to approve, at the present day, what Frede- 

 rick the Great had refused. Frederick the Great had 

 declined to confirm the election of Moses Mendelssohn, 

 out of regard, as it is believed, for the Empress Cathe- 

 rine of Russia, who was a member of the Academy, and 

 who was presumed to be averse to such a colleague." 



On the 30th of August, 1842, Varnhagen remarks in 

 his diary : " Humboldt tells me miserable things of 

 Eichhorn. Talks also much of the King, his amiability, 

 good humor, jocoseness. He thinks, however, he will 



