2oo Humboldt's Letters. 



" Besser's Merry Wig," and recur with new pleasure to 

 your " Zinzendorf." This is a grand, well-executed 

 life-sketch, a figure towering above all other things, 

 which, in a different direction, attract the interest of our 

 time. Your " Zinzendorf" was also constantly admired 

 by my brother. How much the interest is enhanced 

 by all that we see or rather expect to see ! But where, 

 among the intellectual " glaciers" of the present time, 

 are those who could compare themselves with Zinzen- 

 dorf, Lavater, and Stilling ? . . . . 



Most gratefully yours, A. HUMBOLDT. 



SATURDAY NIGHT. 



I told Ranke to-day, very frankly, how much I was 

 disgusted at what he presumptuously did at a meeting 

 of the Academy, when I was not present, against Preuss, 

 a much nobler character than he is. Have you not 

 received yet the journals, in which I am immoderately 

 praised and reproved ("North-British Review" and 

 " Quarterly Review) ? In Germany, my prose is fre- 

 quently blamed as being too poetical ; but the " Quar- 

 terly Review" finds it languishing, lifeless, and "not a 

 vivid description." How differently different nations 

 feel! 



