199 



CXLIV. 



HUMBOLDT TO BETTINA VON AftNIM. 



(Copied by Varnhagen.) 



Berlin, 7th June, 1851. 



You could not well doubt, my dearest Baroness, 

 that I should, with the greatest readiness, meet 

 your wishes in respect of so sterling a composer as 

 * * # Labouring under the malevolent prejudice of 

 being a hater of music, which, having been incurred 

 by my brother, has been transferred to me by the 

 King, my own voice on a matter on which I am never 

 consulted, is necessarily somewhat toneless, especially 

 when church singing is in question. What between 

 Warsaw,* Olmiitz,t Eussian Grand Dukes, \ and, to 

 mention something of a higher order, Eauch's inspi- 

 riting, mighty work, it was impossible to obtain a 

 hearing. Warsaw has now been succeeded by consti- 

 tutional Hanover the visit to your and my Eoyal 

 friend. I have not yet seen our monarch since his 

 return to Potsdam. I am involved in all the horrors 

 of cosmic settlement intend to abide the tide returning 

 from Warsaw (the alluvial deposits of Batavian and 

 Mecklenburg Highnesses), and when this rocky sea is 

 calm again, I will act systematically, as your cheerful 

 and spirited letter suggests. In these sad times, all 

 that is spoken dies away, whilst even that which is 



* The King of Prussia's meeting with the Emperor Nicholas. T#. 



f The famous military show at Olmiitz of about 70,000 Austrian troops, 

 with the Emperor Nicholas, and the King of Prussia, as guests of Francis 

 Joseph. TR. 



The two youngest sons of Nicholas, then on their grand tour. TR. 



Statue of Friedrich the Great. TR. 



