342 Humboldt's Letters. 



Keep my pupil's letter by all means, including the infor- 

 mation that I am the subject of discussion in the Belgian 

 Chambers, as a materialist and republican, who ought to 

 be discharged ! "Where the dinner of the Baron d'Arhim 

 (Arnim) took place, I cannot guess. I may have said, 

 that I was as liberal as Arago, but certainly not that I 

 was a Republican. Deposit M. Jobard in your archives, 

 my friend, 



Your faithful, A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



SUNDAY. 



What men believe and disbelieve does not generally 

 become a subject of contention until after they have 

 been officially buried and bepreached by Sydow.* 



The " Spenersche Zeitung," besides discussing Neuf- 

 chatel and the evacuation of the Danubian principalities, 

 contains a daily health return about five little silkworms 

 of Fintelmann, the court gardener. How all things 

 diminish in importance! I have often written letters 

 dated from the hill of Sans Souci, which formerly was 

 historical. Now the Peacock's Island becomes historical 

 by the still life of two caterpillars. Thus the world moves. 

 It must be remembered that when the Angora goats 

 made illustrious the administration of Richelieu in 

 France, the Moniteur contained the announcement : " Le 

 moral des chevres s'ameliore de jour en jour." 



* A fashionable preacher in Berlin. Tr. 



