I do not recollect showing you a very beautiful letter of my brother, on the death of Schiller, dated “Rome, 1805.” It was discovered but lately, and will be published in the next volume of his works. I inclose a very amiable letter from Prince Metternich, received this week, also a stiff and unmeaning one from Prince Albert. Prince Metternich has published, at his own cost, a splendid description of his mineralogical collection at Koenigswart, having probably in view his election to the Presidency of the new Academy instead of Kolowrat. At the special request of Prince Albert I left a copy of Kosmos on his desk at Stolzenfels. He had the civility not to thank me. The “blackbird”[51] has improved his politeness in the present instance, and besides, he makes me talk of “roving oceans of light” and “sidereal terraces”—a Coburg version of my text, _quite English_—from Windsor, where terraces abound. In Kosmos I speak once of the “starry carpet,” page 159, in explaining the open spaces between the stars. He presents me a work upon “Mexican Monuments,” a copy of which I myself had purchased two years ago. A splendid edition of Lord Byron would have been in better taste. It is also strange that he does not mention “Queen Victoria.” Possibly my “Book of Nature” is not sufficiently Christian for her Majesty. You see that I am a severe critic of “princely epistles.” Please return Metternich and Albert soon, as I have not yet replied to them; also Wilhelm’s letter at your leisure—it is the only copy I have. I gave the original to Schlesier, who was very anxious to possess something from my brother’s hand. With old attachment, yours, A. V. HUMBOLDT. 130. METTERNICH TO HUMBOLDT. VIENNA, _February, 1847_. MY DEAR BARON: I will begin this letter by congratulating you upon the new decoration, which the King has lately conferred upon you. The “_Eagle_” under whose wing—sub umbra alarum—you have executed so much will be a noble decoration on your breast. Suum cuique!