80 



preciative penetration into the individuality of this great 

 man animates the whole : and in depicting, to be true 

 to Nature is the most essential point of all. A surly 

 counsel to [the King to] ride away, and a victory 

 gained entirely by himself, had placed an insurmount- 

 able barrier in the hero's path. The aged hero dying 

 standard in hand in the bloody fight, at the head of 

 13,000 unsympathizing men, forms a closing scene that 

 is truly picturesque. Like Columbus he was poetically 

 grand and prosaically penurious. In one respect (a 

 point which I have no doubt has been overlooked by 

 many), this work does great credit to your talent as an 

 historian; I mean the contrivance, indeed, by which 

 you prevent the story of the fight being broken off by 

 the narrative of Schwerin's death.* 



I will bring you myself the " collected works," and 

 prefer my request for the second part of Hormayr'sf 

 precious pepper draught. 



Your last letter, so honourable for me, contained 

 words which I should not like to misunderstand. 

 " You scarcely permit to yourself the possession of my 

 impieties/' After my speedy decease you may deal as 

 you please with such property. We only owe truth 

 in this life to such persons as we deeply esteem, there- 

 fore it is due to you. 



A. H. 



On the 1 8th December, 1841, Yarnhagen wrote in his Diary : " I was 

 told to-day, but quite in confidence, the romantic story of the King's 



* See Coxe's " House of Austria," Vol. II. p. 403 ; Wraxall's Memoirs, 

 Vol. I. p. 162. TR. 



f " Anemonen aus dem Tagebuclie eines Pilgermannes." See note, p. 77. 

 TR. 



