346 Humboldt's Letters. 



vail against it, because there will always be consummate 

 fools, old fools, and little fools, to uphold and repair it. 

 Pure reason has not the same chance." 

 Yours, ever devotedly, 



JOBABD. 



191. 



LINES BY YARNHAGEN ON HILDEBRANDT'S PAINTING 

 OF HUMBOLDT'S APARTMENTS, AND THE MOTTO 

 ATTACHED. 

 (TRANSLATED BY CHARLES GOEPP, ESQ., AT EASTON, PA.) 



THIS was the latest, the peaceful home, where the mighty explorer, 

 Early ascender of summits, reposed on the heights of his glory. 

 Hall of the Castle of Knowledge, the limner has deftly restored thee I 

 Lofty and light, rich hung with trophies of noble endeavor ; 

 Treasures of nature and art, and of love, and the weapons of science. 

 While in the midst sits, earnestly glad, thoughtfully commanding 

 All the profusion around, himself thy sovereign, breathing 

 Speech and significant life into every shape of the picture ; 

 Plying the wonderful shuttle of thought, until it produces, 

 Painting and painted at once, fresh images, brighter and brighter.* 



YARNHAGEN VON ENSE. 

 BERLIN, December 1st, 1856. 



* Spaetes Daheim des einst in ruestig kaempfender Jugend 

 Weitgewanderten Forschers, der, gleichwie Hoehen der Erde, 

 Hoehen des Ruhmes erstieg, hat dargestellt uns der Maler, 

 Schoen, reich ausgestattet mit heriiichen Schoetzen des Wissens : 



