Humboldt's Letters. 301 



cate them by word of mouth, their intercession would 

 not even receive attention ; success is only to be hoped 

 for from an official expose of the project, addressed 

 immediately to the King himself, with the autograph 

 signature of the managers, with specific and distinct 

 requests. The decision rests exclusively with the cabi- 

 net, and to be discussed there, a full and explicit petition 

 to the King is necessary. This is doubly important at 

 a time so eventful as the present, when the King never 

 remains longer than a few weeks at Sans Souci. Painter 

 Rattis' Titian, political insinuations, and great unknown 

 personages, are all subjects of which I receive the first 

 intimation from your kind letter. It will be my study 

 to repel the insinuations, although, on account of my 

 well-known opinions, these " essais de blanchir" will be 

 but a feeble support. Among the many painful impres- 

 sions you so sedulously cultivate in the midst of your 

 glowing love of the true, the free, the noble, and the 

 good, it gives me great delight to direct your attention 

 to two special matters of gratification your Goethe 

 monument is a fixed fact, and the great man's grandson, 

 whom I regard and esteem, has succeeded hi obtaining 

 a recognition of the value of his services, and a less 

 constrained position in the Roman embassy. 

 With unalterable devotion and friendship, 



I remain your Old Man of the Hills, 



A. v. HT. 



t 



><" o* s 



