Humboldt's Letters. 395 



the evil results of meddling with diplomacy, particularly 

 if unofficial, as was that of the Marquis at the time. 

 Lamartine as well as Cavaignac gave far too much heed 

 to him. He is one of the dullest and most tedious Eng- 

 lishmen ever heard of." 



March 9th, 1858. Varnhagen adds this further re- 

 mark on Normanby : " Read a little more of Normanby. 

 He is a poor fool, but his bad book is good enough to 

 expose the paltriness of Louis Philippe, the villany of 

 Guizot, and the pernicious influences of sneaks and 

 sharpers. His forte consists in the perfect success with 

 which he flattens down to insufferable monotony the 

 enlivening and exhilarating effects of the torrent of 

 events." 



222. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEK 



BERLIN, April 13f.% 1858. 



I AM touched by the kindness of your letter, and the 

 souvenir from your talented niece, Miss Ludmilla. As 

 Illaire called yesterday, I have made every preparation 



to be of use to M , the esteemed clergyman of , 



in the acquisition of one of those toys, which, if they 

 do not nourish, yet afford an agreeable diversion, like 



