New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-05
NEW PUBLIUA TONS
urMBOLDrs LETTERS TO vARNHAGEN
Won ENSE

puEcEsRs BSisrss yos fAKsaaGxS usp AsDEas
Since the time ween the two greatest German
poets, Goethe AID Schiller, hurled their literary
torpedoes among public which, in the midst
of totteripg throoes aud shattered empires had
no eyes nor ears but for tie progress of bellies
lsttres. 6ee sehtin eats. aud abstract problems OF
metaphysics, DO publication in Germany has ever
created 60 deep sensation. or reused so much feel
ing - the private correspondence Of Alexander Won
Humboldt and Varnhxgen Ease, lately Puo-
lshsd BY the spirted genial niece of tue aster'
Ne small amount OF moral courage was requisite
for this publication. Mas Ludmlla A'sng, Do
fore vs.sarins upon th. bold step, wac well aware
of the deadly snmlty shs but too certain 70 en-
counter She knew that hundreds OF influenza
perssus, some Of them belonging to the highest
ranks Of soc sty, would be stang to the quick BY
tbesa revelations Yet she never hesitated to
fulfill what she considered az duty to the pub
liz. asd even in greater degree 10 the departed.
cit was Hsmboldts express DESIRE" she says,
that thess letters should be published after bis
death. For sowhers has he expressed his SEN
hnents ia . bOldor and more straight forward
manner thm in his comma aioatons to his old
anu Nol-Dlcu Hlcuu 5IuhnrOn-lunH WuVHi no
loved or esteemed no on. more deeply. To him he
csriaed all those letters which it was bis desire to
have preserved"
The motives Of Miss Assicg having been asssilsd
in some of the German journals. she has vigor.
Ously maintained her position, and addsd tho
most iadispstote evidence thst Humboldt and
Varnsaseh desired T. hase tts correspondence pub
lishsd Immediately after their eesth. They wished
10 leave clear r6ctId Of their real eentGen by
proving that In spite Of their near restioos
with the governing csssss they had al
wsys befriebGed t,s popular cause TIE
oause o, fcccdoa aud humanity. OF tn thar
confidential letters contain anplo proof and not of
this only.
Humbo,dts goodness Of heart, his independ-
ence Of taousht aud language in his frequent
intercourse with mopsrchs. his geniaity, coed
bumor, and w.t. tis mode>ty in sBtjectng ais o Hn
judgment In literary matters anreserredly TO that
of bis friend, apoear IA striking light GA almost
svery page OF this remarkable little book. Bat
there is also no want Of expression of deep indig
saten at the folly or bsseasss OF the rulers Of
Europe and no mercy is shown to imbeciGty or
crime clad in purss.
It's correspondence consisting almost exclu-
siyey Of Sudan ana detached notes, which oc-
cAsioaslly ps,sed between two intimate friends,
who had almost daily opportunities of seeing
one another, cannot be expected to contain any
thing like elaborate opihioLs on matters Of public
interest. In fact WITH scarcely Any exception, they
contain mere aphorsms detached ideas, brief re-
marks, humorous, sarcastcal, seniinsL tai or phi
losophicL. In many cases the letters are 80 meagsr
that they would sosIc-l, be ineligible without the
brief explanations sddet BY Varahagen In other
cases the illusions well understood BY those
familiar with all the details of tbs literary and
pehhcal life Of Germany but are without any
meaning to others Hence, il is impossible that
any TRANSLATION dssttste Of explanatory notes.
shsuid be able 10 produces tao same Impression upon
lis readers as the original has produced among
tho Germans Still, doducting all that has
only Q local or pensonL or transent interest
there remain In this volume many things which
no one dcirous of retaining ooTecs impression Of
the character Of Humboldt should DO unscquainted
with.
Much has been said about the indelicacy shown
BY Mas AssiBg in not Withholding from the public
the confidential opinions of Humboldt on living per-
soas. IL il not to bs denied that in this respect
many passages Of the book appear somewhat shock
ing. especially In = country where it ia the most
ahheard Of thing to csll a mandarin of the blue
porcelain button By any other name than his
foticial title. To De told by Humboldt that the
King never spoks Of his Cabinet Minister, NJ. Won
Rsuner, otherwise thas as jsckass (RindUieh)
must be anything but agreeable to that gentleman,
who lie just now speOulatlpg upon his chances Ofre-
turning 10 power. Norris it to be wondered at that
the GraGd Duke Of Saxe-Woimsr has sent his copy OF
the bSoi, full Of indignant pencil marks, 10 the
Grand Ducal library, when HUMBOLDT in one of his
letters TO Varnhagen, complains Of the tedious
versaton Of this Priace "who courts the society of
scholars merely from desrs to continue the tradi.
tions Of bis father" Charles Augustus, tho great
Msceass Of Goethe and Schilsr), and whose pusrle
Preudices against all scholars who are not also noble
meo, are shown upic the most ridiculous light. Louis
Nspoleoz who, immediately after the death Of Hum
boidt, had ordered statue to be erected to his
memory, viii probably reconsider his decree, on
seeing that Humboldt sets him down unqual6edly
as the Legitimate son Of Admiral Verhuel, or 90
reading the following plain remarks contained in
note OF February S, 1852: ~ have always been of
opinion that the most savage republic could never do
90 great and asns injury to the moral progress Of
mankind and to tho viodication of human rights,
o. L regime de mos encle, k despotisme tcLasre,
dsgmattgxe, mieLeur, that despotsm which applies
all arts Of civilization TO the solo object of bosterins