Humboldt's Letters. 239 



left a copy of Kosmos on his desk at Stolzenfels. He 

 had the civility not to thank me. The " blackbird"* 

 has improved his politeness in the present instance, and 

 besides, he makes me talk of " roving oceans of 

 light" and "sidereal terraces" a Coburg version of 

 my text, quite English from Windsor, where terraces 

 abound. In Kosmos I speak once of the " starry car- 

 pet," page 159, in explaining the open spaces between 

 the stars. He presents me a work upon "Mexican 

 Monuments,'' a copy of which I myself had purchased 

 two years ago. A splendid edition of Lord Byron 

 would have been in better taste. It is also strange that 

 he does not mention " Queen Victoria." Possibly my 

 " Book of Nature" is not sufficiently Christian for her 

 Majesty. You see that I am a severe critic of " princely 

 epistles." 



Please return Metternich and Albert soon, as I have 

 not yet replied to them ; also Wilhelm's letter at your 

 leisure it is the only copy I have. I gave the original 

 to Schlesier, who was very anxious to possess something 

 from my brother's hand. 



With old attachment, yours, 



A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



* The Prussian order of " The Black Eagle," which had just then 

 been conferred on Prince Albert. TR. 



