254 



but the latest news describes his party as exceedingly 

 active, and his cause as not quite hopeless. 



Home affairs, for even though enacted in foreign 

 lands, they are still, by virtue of their origin, home 

 affairs one would rather not touch upon at all. It is 

 difficult to find the right terms in speaking of them, 

 and, if one does find them, one cannot use them. 

 Yet all who judge of them with unprejudiced minds, 

 are singularly unanimous in condemning them. 



To the genuine good old Prussians, Jade Bay, Neuf- 

 chatel, and even Zollern, are but very secondary con- 

 siderations, and out of all connection with the nucleus 

 of the Prussian State. 



I am afraid that, as regards Neufchatel, too much 

 importance is attached to a momentary approval on 

 the part of France, and that frightful complications 

 will arise in consequence. Reynard takes a malicious 

 pleasure in inciting his friends to dangerous enter- 

 prises. How they will come out of them is their 

 affair ! 



Madame Bettina von Arnim has, within the last few 

 days, made me a present of about a thousand manu- 

 script papers for my collections ; one of the most 

 valuable among them is a letter of your Excellency's 

 to Ludwig Achim von Arnim, on the subject of 

 Fossils. It bears no date, but I should think it must 

 have been written some time between 1820 and 1830. 



I know right well the day on which I write these 

 lines the eve of that day* which ; above all the days 

 memorable and dear of our times, certainly will be 

 celebrated far and near with the greatest enthu- 

 siasm. 



* Huraboldt's birthday. TB. 



