388 Humboldt's Letters. 



Heydt for his determination to leave the cabinet. He 

 had a letter from the Queen. The King wishes to see 

 him, and he therefore drives to Charlottenburg. He is 

 hale and hearty. I read much in Lassalle. Even the 

 external appearance of so great and important a work 

 excites reverence. On me it makes a> peculiar impres- 

 sion to witness the downfall, one by one, of the stays 

 and rivets by which my inveterate opinions have been 

 upheld. Every one who has grown old has to observe 

 and experience such things ; but in our times the 

 changes are quicker and more powerful than in former 

 times, and I am peculiarly sensible to them. Even 

 where the contents do not matter to me, where I do 

 not lose in the matter, because the subjects do not 

 belong directly to my province, the phenomenon is 

 nevertheless somewhat disagreeable. Such is again my 

 lot in regard to Schleiermacher ; his work on Heraclitus 

 was hitherto the last word, the final disposition of all 

 questions relating to that philosopher ; even Hegel's 

 adverse hints had not been able to overturn this 

 authority. One could rest upon it as on a downy pil- 

 low, when lo ! a new critic comes, and snatches it from 

 under us. True, Lassalle supplies its place with another, 

 which is large and well stuffed, but still the change is 

 uncomfortable. And yet I am pleased with this unrest 

 of intellectual efforts, this ingenuity, learning, progress, 

 which asks no fear or favor." 



