90 



LXY. 



HUMBOLDT TO YARNHAGEN. 



Thursday, 31st March, 1842. 



Having this moment only returned with the King 

 from Potsdam, I find Lao-Tseu, which has a peculiar fla- 

 vour of pre-herodotic antiquity. The letter which accom- 

 panies the Chinese philosopher puts me into a melan- 

 choly mood. I see that you have not yet the courage 

 of believing in your recovery, nor the consciousness of 

 returning physical strength. That your intellectual 

 vigour is not diminished, each of your letters attests. 

 I hope I have not lost any of these letters. I wrote 

 to you, about a week ago, a letter of four long pages 

 about the dogmatising Christian philosopher, and on 

 the answers to the questions of the biographer who 

 troubles me with his saintly curiosity. My letter, I 

 hope, has safely arrived. It also contains much chit- 

 chat about my brother's early education. You do not 

 mention my talkativeness at all. Must I be under 

 any uneasiness about it ? 



We have succeeded with Bulow. He will come on 

 Saturday. It might be the beginning of something, 

 perhaps, or the end, le bouquet, the scenic effect of 

 the stage? I yesterday dined with Tholuck* and 

 Beckedorfff in Potsdam. I should otherwise not 

 have seen them. 



Your faithful and attached, 



A. HT. 



* The well-known orthodox Theologian and Professor of Divinity at Halle. 

 TR. 



t Ludolf von Beckedorff, of the Tholuck school. TR. 



