Humboldt's Letters. 279 



153. 



HUMBOLDT TO YARNHAGEN. 



BERLIN, August 31**, 1853. 



FOB once in this gloomy time, when a fell simoom 

 blows from the Pruth to the Tajo, I have had a real 

 and a keen delight your return, your encouraging 

 message, and even the assistance I implored. Your 

 superb letter finds me at the bon d tirer of a little, I 

 hope unpretending, preface to the sonnets. As it will 

 be unfortunately impossible to-morrow (on Friday the 

 King arrives at Potsdam, when I must hand him a good 

 many things, according to promise), I take the liberty 

 of sending you my proof sheets this evening. 



I beseech you to be severe in your treatment of these 

 sheets, with which I have incorporated a remarkable 

 fragment (in illustration of the ideas and frames of 

 mind manifested in the " Letters to a Lady Friend") and 

 to note on a separate piece of paper what I ought to 

 alter, and especially what I ought to substitute. I follow 

 you implicitly. 



I dislike the phrase on page 4, " Schoen errun gene 

 Himmelsgabe."* 



Beautifully extorted gift of heaven. 





