99 

 LXX. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Tuesday, June 13th, 1843. 



Forgive me, my dear friend, that through Eeimer's * 

 absence, my eternal distractions and oscillations, and 

 arrangements for a small journey to Pomerania (13th 

 22nd), I was prevented from sooner bringing you 

 the two new volumes of Wilhelm's works. I know 

 you are not immoderately in love with his commentary 

 on Hermann and Dorothea. It might doubtless more 

 conveniently have been transformed into a treatise on 

 epic poetry in general ; but you may see even in the 

 book on the Kawi language, how fondly that great 

 intellect always united general principles with details. 

 The sonnets are full of sublime earnestness and depth 

 of feeling. I shall call to shake hands with you, 

 and to ask you in what way I could safely send a copy 

 te Mr. Thomas Carlyle. A inspires me with little 

 confidence, and Billow's packets must not be too 

 bulky. To M. Carrieret I shall send my best thanks. 

 The " Fossil minister," J I kfrow, has proved his vitality 

 by an amiable letter to you. There is a biography of 

 me too, dans les biographies redigees par un horn me 

 de rien, in which I am described as a socially malignant 

 brute. Such a thing does not kill one, but it does not 

 improve one much either. 



Your old and attached friend, 



A. v. HT. 



* The well-known publisher of Berlin. TR. 

 t Now Professor of Philosophy at Munich. TR. 

 J Prince Metternich.-- TR. 



H 2 



