97 



naturally cheerful disposition. Humboldt will go with private com- 

 missions to the King of the French at Eu, then to Paris ; in Decem- 

 ber he will be back in Berlin." 



On the 18th of March, 1843, Varnhagen describes in his Diary a 

 visit paid to him by Humboldt after the return of the latter from 

 Paris. " Humboldt came to see me to-day; he has aged much since 

 I saw him last ; but his mind and heart are both fresh and vigorous. 

 He was cheerful and happy whilst in Paris, but here at once a 

 melancholy mood has come over him. "What he found here was 

 wretchedness ; the old well-known way of trifling with dangerous 

 things in childish hilarity. Besides, he is overwhelmed with com- 

 plaints and demands. Every one wishes him to speak to use his 

 influence. 'Influence,' he exclaims, 'nobody possesses! not even 

 Bunsen and Eadowitz, the King's favourites; they can do nothing 

 but humour the fancies and foibles they detect, serve and sacrifice 

 to them, and if they were to want anything which lay beyond that 

 sphere, it would soon be all over with them. The King does just what 

 he likes, and what results from his early fixed opinions ; and if per- 

 chance he listens to advice, it has no weight with him.' He speaks 

 with contempt of Eichhorn and Savigny, as hypocritical sycophants, 

 who allow themselves to be led by Thiele, Gerlach,* and Hengstenberg. 

 The King has given up none of his former plans, and he may any 

 moment make new attempts with them in reference to the Jews, the 

 keeping of Sunday, the consecration of Bishops in the Anglican fashion, 

 the new arrangements regarding the nobility, &c. He forms plans 

 as if he were to live to become a hundred years old ; he thinks of 

 erecting immense buildings, of laying out parks and gardens, of 

 carrying out great works of art, and also of travels. A visit to 

 Athens has already been mooted, and in the background there no 

 doubt looms a pilgrimage to Jerusalem ! Napoleonic expeditions of 

 peace to London, St. Petersburg, and to the Orient, and conquests 

 of scholars and artists instead of countries ! Art and fancy on the 

 throne, fanatical jugglery round about, and hypocritical abuse in 



* The saintly General, head of the Kreuzzeitung party. Tu. 



H 



