151 

 CIX. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, 30th March, 1846. 



Again I forward you a few autographs, of little im- 

 portance in number ten from 

 Yillemain ; 

 Bessel ; 

 Victor Huo : 



O ' 



Eiickert (you have several of his) ; 



Manzoni (filled with praises of me, but not in good 

 style); 



Thiers; 



The widow of Lucien Bonaparte ; 



Three notes from the Duchess of Orleans. 



I add to these fugitive leaves a letter to the King, 

 which I most earnestly beg of you not to let anybody 

 see, and to return me to-morrow, because I might want 

 it. I will give you the letter by-and-by. It sometimes 

 happens that the King, instead of writing me a note 

 in reply, writes his answer on the letter itself. He 

 did so yesterday. The Ministers would be content to 

 wink at the gymnastics of the suspicious Dr. Mass- 

 mann, of whom the King is very fond, and whom he 

 wishes to retain here. My letters will show you, at 

 any rate, that I speak my mind ; and how the wrong 

 forces its way in, and people deprive themselves of all 

 means for free action. 



Your old and attached friend, 



A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



