181 



de 1'opuscule. Ce que je sais, c'est que mon nom et 

 meme celui d'Ammon, etait ignore quand mon iilleul 

 etait en vie ! 



Mi lie sinceres hommages, mon cher Baron. 



METTERNICH. 



CXXXI. 



PRINCE ALBERT TO HUMBOLDT. 



Windsor Castle, *lth February, 1847. 



Honoured M. le Baron, Whilst reading the first 

 volume of your "Kosmos," I have constantly felt 

 called upon to reiterate my thanks for the great intel- 

 lectual pleasure which the study of it has afforded me. 

 True, I am unable to make you the return of expressing 

 an opinion, entitled to any weight, as to the merits of 

 this admirable work, which I have received from your 

 own hands. In order, however, that, in the absence 

 of such an opinion, I may still impart to the expression 

 of my gratitude at least some apparent weight, I offer 

 you the inclosed work (Catherwood's "Views in Central 

 America"), which, as a sequel to your own large work 

 on Spanish America, may perhaps commend itself to 

 your attention. I need not say with what lively ex- 

 pectation I am looking forward to the publication of 

 the second volume of " Kosmos." 



May Heaven,* of whose "revolving Seas of Light and 

 Terraces of Stars" you have given us so noble a descrip- 

 tion, preserve you for many years to the Fatherland, 



* The German " Himmel," means both Heaven and the heavens. T. 



