217 



Queen's indisposition, I have at last, since Saturday, 

 taken up my quarters here. You have immortalized 

 the glory of the Prussian arms, and, what touches me 

 far nearer, the warrior who has displayed such varied 

 accomplishments.* The gallery of your life-pictures 

 stands unmatched in our Grerman literature. I feel 

 highly indignant at the infamous manner in which my 

 friend Arago is used by the last number of the " Quar- 

 terly Keview" (September) from political party-spirit, 

 just as I was myself by the same Journal during many 

 years, 1810-18. A note at the end of the September 

 number states, with singular delicacy, that the article 

 had been written before they knew of his death ; but 

 it was generally known in London, that he was blind 

 and in agonizing pain from dropsy which oppressed 

 him!! 



With gratitude and attachment, and in admiration 

 of your talent, Yours faithfully, 



A. V. HUMBOLDT. 



Monday. 



CLYI. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, Thursday night, 13th to 14th April, 1854. 



Accept, my generous friend, my best thanks for 



yourself and the agreeable confidantf of " the daemons." J 



The King, owing to his clerical preparations, is at 



present inaccessible to me, and he is to go, on Monday 



* " Life of General Count Biilow von Dennewitz." By K. A. Varnhagen 

 vonEnse. Berlin. 1853. TR. 



f Bettina von Arnim. 



J Daemon, in the sense in which Goethe uses it, men who are the irre- 

 sistible agents of Destiny. TR. 



