210 

 CLI. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, 14th March, 1853. 



Heartiest thanks for having offered me the consola- 

 tion of the characteristic, and to me unknown expression 

 of Fontenelle's ; but twenty years are by far too short 

 to see better things. Your " Billow von Dennewitz," 

 is to me* great and joyful news. The treasure of fiery 

 Leopold von Buch I return to you (inclosed). I wonder 

 whether Friedrich Schlegel's astronomical vision is not 

 connected with conversations which I have had with 

 him at Vienna, on the certainty that one day we shall 

 see in Germany the Southern Cross rise again, as it 

 has shone over us already in historic times. I remind 

 you of a passage in my " Kosmos" (II. p. 383), which 

 may have some attraction for you by fixed chronolo- 

 gical dates : 



" The Cross began to disappear in Northern Ger- 

 many at a period so little remote as 2900 before our era. 

 The constellation may have had an altitude of more 

 than ten degrees above the horizon . When it disappeared 

 in the Baltic countries from the firmament, the great 

 Pyramid of Cheops had been standing in Egypt some 

 five hundred years. The Shepherd tribe of the Hyksos 

 made their invasion 700 years later. The earlier ages 

 seemingly come nearer to us, when measured by the 

 landmarks of memorable events." 



Do not fail to work hard at your " Billow von Denne- 

 witz." He and I were great friends in Paris. A lover 

 of music, he made himself very agreeable in Lafayette's 



