21 8 Humboldt's Letters. 



Excellency to lay at the feet of your noble sovereign 

 the humble tribute of a gratitude which has become, if 

 possible, more lively and more grateful. And at the 

 risk of appearing indiscreet, I cannot refrain from avail- 

 ing myself of this opportunity to renew the respectful 

 homage of the devotion which, as a dweller on this 

 earth, and under this title, nihil Tiumani a me alienum 

 putans, I have long entertained. This homage would 

 cease to be pure, and would thus lose its unique value 

 if it involved the slightest sacrifice of my Catholic con- 

 science, that is to say, of that which is the soul of my 

 conscience. But, thank God, such is not the case ; for, 

 amid the character and the sign of the high destiny 

 which I salute from afar, with a respectful joy, it is my 

 privilege to admire and to love the development of the 

 most excellent work of justice, which is the liberty of 

 doing good. 



My admiration for you, M. le Baron, if even it did 

 not content itself with being the simple echo of so great 

 a reputation, ought not to surprise you ; for if, as I am 

 daily told, there is not a learned man who has not some- 

 thing to learn from you, there are few unlearned men 

 whom you have not taught something. In this con- 

 nexion, and at the risk of abusing your indulgence, I 

 cannot conceal from you my hope to have a memento 

 of Humboldt a memento less precious, no doubt, than 

 those which I owe to his good-will, but which will also 



