85 



to pretend to the interpretation of the primaeval 

 decrees of God ; and that the history of dark ages might 

 tell us what excesses such interpretations were apt to 

 encourage." 



Under an appearance of outward splendour, and in 

 the enjoyment of the somewhat fantastic preference of a 

 high-minded prince, I live in a moral and mental iso- 

 lation, such as can only be produced by the barren 

 condition of the mind of this divided, erudite land, 

 repellant at poles of similar denomination, still 

 grumbling, and day by day contracting towards the 

 East, a true steppe country ! May you be satisfied 

 with him who has the courage, though alone in it, of 

 adhering to his opinions (avoir le courage de ses 



LXIV. 



HtJMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, 21st March, 1842. 



My dear and so happily restored Friend ! 



It is a matter of infinite joy to me to learn from 

 your welcome letter that the very agreeable society at 

 the Princess's has bodily, and with my culpable ma- 

 terialism I shall therefore also say spiritually, re- 

 freshed you. Such society, mostly this same barren 

 Berlinish ornamental matter blown together, assumes a 

 perfectly different aspect in the house of the Princess 

 Piickler. It is, as it were, the spirit that should inspire 

 the State. The matter seems ennobled. 



I still keep your copy of the system of " Christian 

 Doctrine,"* having formerly at Potsdam been much 



* " Die Christliche Glaubenslebre," by Strauss. Tubingen. 1840. TR. 



