Humboldt's Letters. 149 



cares but little for him. Steffens, too, whom he likes, 

 is seldom invited. Reumont belongs to the exceptions ; 

 he secures a small share of the favoritism of Bunsen 

 and Count Bruehl. There is much sneering at .... 

 about his dancing, &c. Humboldt said once, he was 

 green, if not quite yellow, whereupon the King 

 answered :' At .... every one had that complexion.' 

 Bunsen has not grown much wiser : he proposed to the 

 King to purchase California, to send missionaries there, 

 &c. He strongly supports the schemes of Madame von 

 Helfert ; he had a mind to send his own son with her, 

 and to contribute 12,000 of his own means for the 

 establishment of settlements in the East Indies ( !), with 

 the view, of course, to open a field for missionaries ; he 

 withdrew, however, his offers when he saw that the 

 King's co-operation was doubtful. In the meantime 

 Mrs. Helfert could not obtain more than ten thousand 

 thalers from the King. Minister Rother succeeded in frus- 

 trating her plot ; he could not help, however, sending two 

 agents to examine and to report on the state of the pos- 

 sessions of Mrs. Helfert in the East Indies. It was also 

 attempted to induce the King to take part in the colo- 

 nization of Texas always in connexion, of course, with 

 religious interests. Humboldt had written previously 

 to Bunsen, in strong terms, advising him to warn Eich- 

 horn, and to point out to him the hatred which his 

 actions awakened, and which also reflected upon the 



