Monsieur,
Si j’ai tardé si longtems à Vous offrir l’hommage de ma vive reconnoissance pour les deux lettres <1> dont Vous avez bien voulu m’honorer, c’est que ces lettres ne m’ont pas trouvé l’une à Berlin, l’autre à Paris. Comme les hommes superieurs sont généralement bien ailleurs, je peux me flatter de Votre indulgence. Les exemplaires des Classical and antiquarian Researches <2> sont restés plusieurs mois à Berlin et je n’ai pu distribuer cet intéressant travail qu’à mon retour à la mi-Janvier. Dans un tems ou les coalitions sont à l’ordre du jour, Vous ne serez pas surpris, Monsieur, qu’il y ait, en deçà du Rhein, coalition contre la “Δaiov” <3> La vieille école de resistance, les philologues doctrinaires, se sont reuni au parti aventureux de la gauche pelagico[?] “indico” germanique. Heureusement que Monsieur Talbot est là riche de son propre fond, riche de decouvertes fruits d’une rare sagacité, riche par la surprenante variété de ses connoissances qu’il est en droit de se consoler d’une perte “minime”. Les lettres que Vous avez eu la bonté d’adresser à mes anciens amis Mrs Arago et Biot <4> et à moi relativement aux travaux de M Daguerre <5> ne sont arrivees qu apres mon depart de Paris Ce n’est donc pas par moi que l’Institut a pu avoir les premières communications. Quoique que le Soleil de mon pays (je parle en Prussian et non en citoyen du Mexique) ne peigne les objets qu’en gris, je serois bien heureux de l’espoir de Vous recevoir avant que je me petrifie completement dans notre Oasis de Berlin. Vous y trouveriez bien des personnes au courant de vos beaux travaux d’optique, de mathematique et de chimie.
Agreez en attendant, Monsieur, l’expression de la haute consideration avec laquelle j’ai l’honneur d’etre, Monsieur, Votre tres-humble
et tres-obeissant Serviteur
Al Humboldt
à Berlin
ce 5 Mars
1839,
H. F. Talbot, Esq F.R.S.
London
31 Sackville – Street
and Lacock – abbey
near Chipenham [sic]
Translation:
Sir,
The reason why I have taken so long to thank you most warmly for the two letters with which You were so good as to honour me, was because they did not reach me in either Berlin or Paris. As superior men are generally happy to be away from home, I flatter myself that you will be indulgent about my absence. The copies of Classical and antiquarian Researches were in Berlin for several months and I could not distribute this interesting piece of work until I returned in mid-January. At a time when coalitions are the order of the day, You will not be surprised, Sir, that there is a coalition on this side of the Rhine against the “Δaiov”. The old school of resistance, the pompous philologists, have united with the adventurous party of the pelagic[?] left “indico” Germanic. Fortunately, Mr Talbot is there, and is armed with his own strong foundation, with discoveries which are the fruits of a rare wisdom and with the surprising variety of his knowledge, so he is entitled to console himself with minimal loss. The letters which You were so kind as to send to my old friends, Messrs Arago and Biot, and to me, concerning Mr Daguerre’s work only arrived after I had left Paris. Consequently, the Institute could not have received the first communications from me. Although the Sun of my country, (I am speaking as a Prussian and not as a citizen of Mexico) only paints objects in grey, I would be very happy to hope that You will pay me a visit before I become completely petrified in our Oasis which is Berlin. You would find many people there who know about your beautiful work in optics, mathematics and chemistry.
In the meantime, please accept, Sir, the assurance of the deep respect with which I have the honour to be, Sir, Your very humble And very obedient Servant
Al Humboldt
Berlin
5 March 1839,
H. F. Talbot Esq F.R.S
London
31 Sackville Street
and Lacock Abbey
near Chippenham
Notes:
1. One of which was possibly Doc. No: 03778.
2. Probably Hermes: or Classical and Antiquarian Researches, No. 1. (London: Longman, Orme, Green, Brown & Longman, 1838), or WHFT, Hermes: or Classical and Antiquarian Researches, No. 2. (London: Longman, Orme, Green, Brown & Longman, 1839).
3. Zeus.
4. Dominique François Jean Arago (1786–1853), French physicist, astronomer & man of science, and Jean-Baptiste Biot (1774–1862), French scientist.
5. Louis Jacques Mandé Daguerre (1787–1851), French artist, showman & inventor.