Will you allow me to disturb you for some moments between 2 and 3 o’clock this afternoon, that I may ask your literary opinion? My book shall bear the title: “Sketch of a Physical Description of the World.”
I should like to embody in the title itself the occasion of these lectures, so as to make it understood at once that the book contains more and something else than the lectures. “From reminiscences of lectures in the years 1827 and 1828, by A. v. Humboldt,” is considered, I am told, ridiculous and pretending. I do not insist on it; but “Souvenirs d’un cours de Physique du monde,” or, “Souvenirs d’un voyage en Perse,” seemed simple enough. How shall I arrange the title of the book? “Sketch of the Physical World, elaborated from lectures by A. v. H.:” or, “Partly treated from Lectures?” All that seems rather awkward. Adverbs will not do for titles. What if I add in small type: “A part of this work has been the subject of lectures in the years 1827 and 1828?” This is, however, rather long and then the verb! “Occasioned by,” &c., would perhaps be better. I trust to your genius! You will help me out of this labyrinth, I am sure! With the sincerest attachment,
Your obedient,
A. HUMBOLDT.
Note by Varnhagen.—I had objected to the first herein mentioned title myself when I once dined at Prince August’s, and Humboldt had heard it from Beuth.
5.
HUMBOLDT TO VARNHAGEN.
Berlin, 3d of April, 1829.
I shall call and thank you and enjoy your being home again, and the good effects which the exercise of your new duties have everywhere had. And I will implore pardon of your gifted lady, so dear to me through the misfortunes that happened in my own family. It is never allowed to present a book to the King, not even by Prince Wittgenstein. It must go the usual way. But I will entreat Albrecht very, very fervently.[[4]] I am quite exhausted and will be off in a week.
Friday.
A. Ht.