386 Humboldt's Letters. 



of a kiss extorted from M. Merle d'Aubigne", and not 

 yet sufficiently explained, and where (what is much 

 more refreshing) pastor Kind boasts of having been 

 kissed on the shoulder by a young Italian chambermaid 

 at Naples, with the warmth of semi-conversion to 

 Evangelism. As my monotonous birth-day has already 

 brought in more than three hundred letters and pack- 

 ages, I never know anything about the dates of arrival ; 

 but I well remember having received a letter with a black 

 margin of the 15th of July, from your distinguished 

 relative Adolfo de Varnhagen in Madrid, and also a 

 fragment of his history. I shall thank him heartily. 

 His history is not without interest. You know that an 

 attempt was made to get rid of M. von der Heydt, whose 

 independent activity is disagreeable to his colleagues, by 

 the appointment of a commission of finance in the coun- 

 cil of state. But the man has acted with considerable 

 energy, and the King has adjourned the whole commis- 

 sion, which was the work of ISTiebuhr. 



With heartfelt friendship, 

 WEDNESDAY. Yours, A. v. H. 



My respects to your talented niece. 



I believe " God in History" has acted unwisely in 

 accepting the King's invitation, even after so many 

 repetitions. I esteem him, but he will be accused of 

 many things of which he is innocent. 



