206 

 CXLVIII. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, 12th February, 1852. 



It may interest you, my dear friend, to find in the 

 compass of a single sheet all that which the Orleans 

 family intend to do in trying to resist the spoliation. 

 The Duchess of Orleans has sent it me through the 

 Princess of Prussia. 



Do you know our Candidate, William S., a native of 

 Dresden, screening himself behind the pseudonym of 

 Wilfried von der Neun, who plagues me by sending 

 to me aphoristic thoughts in manuscript ? 



Yours, 

 A. v. H. 



Be kind enough soon to return the enclosed. 



CXLIX. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, 23rd March, 1852. 



It is one of the many inconveniences of old age, that 

 we are exposed to attempts at conversion. Please, my 

 dear friend, to preserve this odd, good-natured letter 

 among your psychological curiosities. (The man who 

 is so thoroughly convinced of the salvation of Berna- 

 dotte, tells me, in an indirect way, that Satan wields 

 his sceptre in my heart, as he did in that of Goethe, of 

 pious Kant, and of Wieland.) And our Parliament ! ! 



