20 



exhibit a degree of nicety, good taste, and penetration, 

 that makes the alteration of it a work of positive 

 pleasure to me. I have made use of all, at least 

 almost all nineteen -twentieths and more. One is 

 always a little obstinate about what one has originally 

 written one's self. I beg you a thousand pardons for 

 sending you some pages, which (in the new matter 

 towards the end of the Address) I had not looked 

 through. Some of the phrases were completely en- 

 tangled. You must allow me, one of these days, to 

 thank in person. I will then show you the correc- 

 tions at the end of the Address. I should have been 

 happy, could I have shown our (Eahel) some of these 

 pictures of travel. 



Yours most gratefully, 



A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



If only we had, in German, a book of synonyms as 

 good and as simply arranged as the one I send you, 

 and which I have no doubt you are not acquainted 

 with ! It was recommended to me by the Abbe 

 Delisle, as saving a vast deal of time in the event of 

 one's having to look for an equivalent. You see at 

 once the word which may be substituted. I will call 

 for the book. 



XVIII. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, Sunday, 6 A.M. 



5th April, 1835. 



You, my dear Varnhagen, who do not shrink from 

 pain, and who, even sympathetically, trace and con- 



