Humboldt's Letters. 397 



(" Thoughts on the first Rainbow, in connexion with 

 certain Geological Facts." London: 1852. The author 

 is W. Bateman Byng, but it was sent to Humboldt by 

 Mr. F. A. Fokker, of Hamburg, a superannuated pilot 

 captain.) 



On the 24th of April, 1858, Varnhagen obseryes in 

 his diary : " Humboldt was very droll yesterday, in 

 speaking of the letters he receives. A number of ladies 

 in Eiberfeld have conspired to labor at his conversion, 

 by means of anonymous letters, and have informed him 

 of their design. Such letters are received from time to 

 tune. Somebody in Nebraska asks him what. becomes 

 of the swallows in winter. I suggested that this inquiry 

 must be for ever on the wing. Of course,' he replied ; 

 1 1 don't know any more than other folks, but,' he 

 added, with jocose gravity, : ' I took care not to write 

 that to the man in Nebraska, for it is never safe to 

 make such admissions.' " 



sss. 



HUMBOLDT TO YARNHAGEN. 



POTSDAM, June 19th, 1858. 



TEDIOUS on the whole, and full of internal contradic- 

 tions, but still historical in reference to the mythical 

 'Anierico-Germanism, and unfortunately too true. See 



