292 



young Count Ouwaroff (author of a great work on 

 the Hellenic antiquities of the Chersonese) attends 

 Michelet and Bockh. Both these Russians are very 

 agreeable people ; the first (it is said) rather too 

 ecclesiastical, but without the spirit of persecution, 

 both much attached to our more liberal student's life, 

 and to the absence of all police officers in the Uni- 

 versity building. I did not like to undeceive the 

 one-legged Raumer, as they are soon leaving. De- 

 cipitur mundus. 



Your old loving and tedious friend, 



A. v. HUMBOLDT. 



Note of Varnliagen. " The United States, where arsenic, torture, 

 and Fremont's negroes cause to Cuba-greedy Buchanan an indictable 

 colic." This passage refers to the occurrence that President 

 Buchanan, in an hotel, with many of his adherents, was attacked 

 after dinner by a violent colic, so that poison was suspected, and it 

 was discovered on a judicial investigation only that tainted water 

 had caused all the mischief. 



CCIX. 



HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN. 



Potsdam, Thursday, in haste. 4th June, 1857. 



A regular Grand Ducal letter, indelicate without 

 justification, cutting all short by saying, as he leaves 

 (according to the agreed upon Shibboleth), " Auf 

 Wiedersehen." Moreover, silent about wantonly 

 caused expenses. Neither you nor I will " steer 

 farther into this ocean of inquiry," as acquaintance 

 with the candidate does not secure his election. I 

 am thinking of answering it somewhat ironically. 

 Perhaps it may be agreeable to you, my dear friend, 



