215 



betrayed in these inordinate ebullitions. He then spoke with pro- 

 found contempt of Eaumer, the Minister of Public Worship ; his coarse- 

 ness and effrontery, his hatred of all science, his disastrous activity. 

 'The King,' said Humboldt, 'hates and despises all his Ministers, 

 but this one in particular ; and speaks of him as a downright ass 

 (RindvieJi}, being most incensed at Eaumer' s always thwarting his 

 Eoyal wishes.' ' And yet he retains him !' As he does all of them, 

 because he has once got them, and because every change is a trouble.' 

 Instance the brothers Schlagintweit, to whom the King wanted to 

 grant money for a journey to the Himalaya. The Minister of Pub- 

 lic Worship refused ; the King ordered him to consult Humboldt, 

 who reported most favourably ; notwithstanding which, Eaumer 

 stuck to his own opinion, which, he said, was not changed by that 

 of Humboldt. The King, feeling powerless against his Minister, 

 then wrote to Bunsen, who took the affair in hand, and the brothers 

 Schlagintweit are now receiving English aid.'* ' And this same King, 

 who is so jealous of his power, allows it to be limited in this 

 way ?' ' Aye, he even is sometimes pleased with acting the part of 

 a Constitutional King, repudiating with a sort of mischievous satis- 

 faction, in embarrassing circumstances every responsibility of his 

 own ; pleading, in opposition to demands made upon him, the 

 difficulty of obtaining the signature of his Ministers ; nay, he will 

 comport himself as if that " rascal of a State" were no affair of his 

 whatever, even accuses his Minister of neglecting him for the sake of 

 that " rascal of a State," &c. &c. In the matter of small sums, the 

 King often meets with the strongest resistance ; in the case of large 

 ones, he carries his point ; 300 thalers for a poor literary man or 



the most sacred promises were made to me, and all of yon know how, in 

 1848, they were fulfilled. Yon who are here assembled have not faltered in 

 your fidelity, but as to the town in general, I can but say that I have been 

 unquestionably deceived." The same dreary strain prevailed throughout the 

 whole of the King's speech, ending, as usual, by a free pardon on his part, 

 couched in the memorable words, much criticised at the time " I will again 

 count Hirschberg among the cities nearest to my heart." The King's reply 

 to the address of the townsfolk of Elbing was almost the same, verbatim et 

 literatim. TR. 



* The researches of the brothers Schlagintweit are now completed, and 

 are announced for publication. TR. 



