190 Humboldt's Letters. 



sible thing for me. You are the kindest friend of the 

 literary men of my country, and you have always been 

 the most indulgent of men to me. Please listen, there- 

 fore, to my request. I left Paris a week ago for the 

 express purpose of transmitting to the "Journal des 

 Debats" a faithful record of the journey of her Majesty 

 the Queen of England along the banks of the Rhine. 

 Before leaving, I had the honor of paying my respects 

 to the King at Neuilly, and of securing his approval of 

 my design. Monsieur Guizot also strongly encouraged 

 me by saying, that hospitality required that an honest 

 and conscientious writer should follow the royal party, 

 and faithfully chronicle these wonderful rambles, which 

 are now interesting and delighting the whole of Europe. 



Monsieur Guizot gave me, at the same time, letters 

 of introduction and instructions, of which I am proud. 

 The letters are all honorable to me, and my instructions 

 are worthy of the man who gave them. 



Now, dear sir, assist me. What I wish is, not a pre- 

 sentation to his Majesty, your King, but an admission 

 into the royal circle. Unobserved by all, I myself shall 

 see everything, and thus be able to fulfil the mission 

 with which I have been honored. 



You see that it is the imperious passion, the passion 

 of a feuilletonist, which actuates me. It is true I have 

 no title. But, if one be necessary, you can say that I 

 am the Lieutenant-Colonel of a Legion (militia), that I 



