Opening the text

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to HumboldtHumboldt, Alexander von

History

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to Humboldt

Name: Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to Humboldt
Author: Humboldt, Alexander von

Humboldt, Alexander von

Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859 -- Correspondence

Now to what I wish to say further. You know, that I am no savan and that
I have no pretension to be one; but notwithstanding this, you know that
I am the friend of science, and in that capacity have furnished the
means to some savans of publishing the little work of which I enclose
the first copy to you. I hope you will approve of its execution. I think
I am at the present the owner of the most complete collection of
monuments[52] now existing of an epoch of which I cannot pretend to fix
the age—and of which the “Gossau” conceals countless numbers. History
written by man presents but an insignificant point when compared to that
of which nature supplies the material. It was not I who christened one
of the Ammonites after me—it is the doing of the editors of the
opuscule.—I am, however, quite sure that neither my name nor even that
of Ammon was known when my godson was alive.

                         Thousand sincere homages, my dear Baron,
                                                             METTERNICH.




                                  131.
                       PRINCE ALBERT TO HUMBOLDT.


                                  WINDSOR CASTLE, _February 17th, 1847_.

 MY DEAR BARON:

I have been constantly impressed while gradually reading the first
volume of your “Kosmos” with my desire to thank you for the high
intellectual enjoyment, its study has afforded me.

I am really unable to give you an authoritative judgment on this
excellent work, which I received from your hands, and to atone in some
measure for this defect, as well as to give some substantial character
to the expression of my thanks, I present you the accompanying work
(Catherwood’s Views in Central America). It may serve as an appendix to
your own great work on Spanish America, and thus become worthy of your
attention. I do not dare to express the intense anxiety with which I
look forward to the appearance of the second volume of “Kosmos.” May
that Heaven, whose roving oceans of light and sidereal terraces you have
so ably described, be pleased to preserve you to your country, to the
world, and to “Kosmos” itself, for many years, in undisturbed vigor of
mind and body. This is the sincere wish of your

                                             Very devoted,
                                                                 ALBERT.




                                  132.
                         HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.


                                          BERLIN, _February 27th, 1847_.

Here, at last, is my thankful letter to Carriere, containing three warm
recommendations.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to HumboldtHumboldt, Alexander von

History

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to Humboldt

Humboldt, Alexander von

Humboldt, Alexander von, 1769-1859 -- Correspondence

Now to what I wish to say further. You know, that I am no savan and that
I have no pretension to be one; but notwithstanding this, you know that
I am the friend of science, and in that capacity have furnished the
means to some savans of publishing the little work of which I enclose
the first copy to you. I hope you will approve of its execution. I think
I am at the present the owner of the most complete collection of
monuments[52] now existing of an epoch of which I cannot pretend to fix
the age—and of which the “Gossau” conceals countless numbers. History
written by man presents but an insignificant point when compared to that
of which nature supplies the material. It was not I who christened one
of the Ammonites after me—it is the doing of the editors of the
opuscule.—I am, however, quite sure that neither my name nor even that
of Ammon was known when my godson was alive.

                         Thousand sincere homages, my dear Baron,
                                                             METTERNICH.




                                  131.
                       PRINCE ALBERT TO HUMBOLDT.


                                  WINDSOR CASTLE, _February 17th, 1847_.

 MY DEAR BARON:

I have been constantly impressed while gradually reading the first
volume of your “Kosmos” with my desire to thank you for the high
intellectual enjoyment, its study has afforded me.

I am really unable to give you an authoritative judgment on this
excellent work, which I received from your hands, and to atone in some
measure for this defect, as well as to give some substantial character
to the expression of my thanks, I present you the accompanying work
(Catherwood’s Views in Central America). It may serve as an appendix to
your own great work on Spanish America, and thus become worthy of your
attention. I do not dare to express the intense anxiety with which I
look forward to the appearance of the second volume of “Kosmos.” May
that Heaven, whose roving oceans of light and sidereal terraces you have
so ably described, be pleased to preserve you to your country, to the
world, and to “Kosmos” itself, for many years, in undisturbed vigor of
mind and body. This is the sincere wish of your

                                             Very devoted,
                                                                 ALBERT.




                                  132.
                         HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.


                                          BERLIN, _February 27th, 1847_.

Here, at last, is my thankful letter to Carriere, containing three warm
recommendations.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to Humboldt

Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense.: From 1827 to 1858. With extracts from Varnhagen's diaries, and letters of Varnhagen and others to Humboldt

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