Letters of Alexander von Humboldt to Varnhagen von Ense

6 Humboldt to Varnhagen

Berlin, 26th of April, 1830.

I have just come home from Potsdam, and find your dear letter and your present, so very agreeable to me. The “Zinzendorf”5 will delight me very, very much. He is an individual physiognomy like Lavater and Cardanus. The recent pietism, which began to break out at Halle, made me smile. I rejoice that you will kindly accept my “Cri de Pétersbourg”—it is a parody recited at Court—the forced work of two nights; an essay to flatter without self-degradation, to say how things should be. As you and your high-gifted wife, my ancient and kind friend, rejoice in anything agreeable that happens to me, I wish to say that the King sends me to the Emperor to attend the meeting of the Potentates. I shall probably go with the Crown-Prince, who will meet the Empress at Fischbach.

Yours,
          A. Ht.

Zinzendorf’s letters to the Saviour were rather more legible.6