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CXCVIII. 



VARNHAGEN TO HUMBOLDT. 



Berlin, 11 th March, 1857. 



I cannot deprive myself of the pleasure of offering 

 your Excellency my heartiest congratulations on 

 your fortunate and complete recovery. The finest 

 and strongest evidence of this is your epistle to Privy 

 Councillor Bockh, which we have read in to-day's 

 papers, and for which I can find no epithet sufficient 

 to express my appreciation. Nobody else can boast 

 of such a dedication. The receiver well knows how to 

 appreciate it as the highest and most beautiful of all 

 the gifts that have been offered to him : from 

 what a vigorous mind and warm heart has it pro- 

 ceeded, and how finished and graceful alike is its 

 expression ! That it contains narrative, too narra- 

 tive, I might almost say, worthy of Herodotus is of 

 incalculable value, as evincing the freshness of youth 

 combined with the experience of age. Your Excel- 

 lency must pardon this outpouring of my heart. 

 You do not require my words, but I find it impossible 

 to suppress them ; and I will not, therefore, pass over 

 my most fervent wishes in silence that the bril- 

 liant star which a cloud had veiled may still for a 

 long time shine on us in its wonted splendour, and 

 may augur in home and foreign circles, as hereto- 

 fore, bliss and prosperity. 



In deepest admiration, thankfully and truly your 

 devoted, 



VARNHAGEN VON ENSE. 



These lines are not so presuming as to expect an 

 answer. 



