167 



in my inmost heart. The wielding of our noble, 

 pliant, harmonic, descriptive language, is but a secon- 

 dary consideration. I shall certainly find an oppor- 

 tunity of availing myself of your excellent advice 

 touching Memming * and Madame de Sevigne. I 

 have also taken with me the somewhat turgid Seneca 

 (Qucest. natur.), with the view of rummaging his 

 pages. 



But now for the object of this note. The King 

 said to me yesterday as he was retiring to rest, " Let 

 Bettina know that she may make herself quite easy as 

 to the principal - party. f There has never been any 

 thought of giving him up to the Russians." Myself: 

 " You ought to write and tell her so yourself." The 

 King : " Yes, I hope I shall." He expressed on the 

 occasion a very kind feeling towards Bettina. 



Your attached friend, 



Wednesday. A. V. HuMBOLDT. 



What a sad thing this the eighth attempt at 

 assassination ! { Strange that Ministers and Cabinet 

 Councillors are so rarely fired at. Such events make 

 one the more uncomfortable, as the probability or im- 

 probability of their recurrence is absolutely beyond 

 all calculation. 



* Paul Flemming (born in 1609, died in 1640,) a poet, best known by his 

 spiritual hymns. TR. 



f During the Polish democratic insurrection of 1846, Mieroslawski was a 

 leading personage ; he was taken prisoner and condemned to death at the 

 great trial in 1847, but the sentence was commuted to perpetual imprison- 

 ment. In the March days of 1848 he regained his liberty. TR. 



J The attempt at assassination made upon Louis Philippe on the 17th 

 April, 1846, at Fontainbleau. TR. 



