Huinboldt's Letters. 249 



Academy elections of my order. La petite piece side by 

 side with the great world's drama. 



With the old attachment, 



Yours, A. v. HT. 



There never was nobler praise bestowed on the King 

 than in " The Plain Discourse." 



The little work, " Plain Discourse to the Germans on 

 the Duties of the Day. Berlin, 1848," is from the pen 

 of Varnhagen. A few months later, on the 10th of May, 

 1849, the author himself thus speaks of it in his diary: 

 " I have been re-reading what I wrote in August last on 

 Frederick William IV., and what I wrote in 1840, the 

 day after he received the homage of his subjects. What 

 strange sensations it provokes ! Do what I will, awake 

 or asleep, I cannot for a moment shake off the night- 

 mare of consciousness of our political condition, although 

 I know full well how ephemeral it is, how certain the 

 retribution, and how bright the ultimate future. Arouse 

 then, my country, arouse ! Civil war is thy fate, but it 

 is not thy choice. Go on thy way undaunted, and be 

 the blood on the head of those who willed it not other- 

 wise. At a time like this it is not the successes but the 

 failures of the moment that are of profit to the people." 



This is the place to interpose another visit from Hum- 

 boldt to Varnhagen. On the 12th of February, 1849, 



