236 



have never been able during the last few days to rouse 

 my spirits. 



With my warmest wishes for you, and with unal- 

 terably faithful esteem and grateful devotedness, 

 Your Excellency's most obedient, 



VAUNHAGEN VON ENSE. 



CLXVII. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Berlin, 26th April, 1855. 



My esteemed friend, A strange missionary at- 

 tempt, clothed in a sort of idyllic ghost story, 

 political and religious, of monstrously bombastic 

 " neat " style, has come to hand, which I must 

 communicate to you. It is very likely the work 

 of a man, rather than of a woman. The "warm" 

 eighteenth birthday, on which the bond of love 

 is stated to have been completed, is more than I 

 understand ; nor have I any desire for manual mag- 

 netism. I think it much more convenient not to give 

 any answer whatever. The Saturnalia of despotism 

 and flattery, the unblushing festival of oblivion, as 

 if there were no history of 1813 and '14, is now 

 over among the free islanders: a sort of monkey's 

 comedy. There is only one consolation which up- 

 holds me, that out of all this something will grow, 

 which will be quite contrary to what either of the 

 parties have intended. That is le principe, which 

 will survive all of us. I am cruel enough to include 

 you among " all of us." The Cassel book seems to 



