plan he had made at this time, the lectures of 1811-12 were to form the third, and a part of the fourth volume. He then expected to be able to bring the History down to the time of Augustus, with the fifth volume-which he afterward found impossible, as his researches extended-and hoped to complete the work in a few years, if he continued to labor at it without interruption.

In February, 1812, he was seriously ill with an inflammation of the chest, and was obliged to discontinue his lectures for some time.

In the spring of this year, the French armies began their march through Prussia, on their way to Moscow. The interest in politics, which had only slumbered for a time in Niebuhr's mind, could not but be roused again by the aspect of affairs, and directed with eager attention to the results of the events that were taking place. On occasion of the passage of one of the bodies of troops, he met with Intendant-general Dumas, whom he had formerly known in Holstein, when he took refuge there after the French Directory had condemned him to be transported to Cayenne. He regarded Dumas as an honorable and intelligent man, whom he should have heartily rejoiced in meeting under different circumstances.

Though the constant arrival and departure of troops occasioned him much disturbance, as soldiers were quartered in his house, he got his second volume ready for the press by May. He wrote several reviews during the summer of 1812, but, with this exception, allowed himself, at length, a little intermission from his labors. These reviews he did not wish to survive him, and he had a similar feeling with regard to all his polernic writings. His opinion was that, though it is necessary to be able to contend for the truth, no unfriendly words ought to be preserved. With regard to his political writings he said, that they might be collected after his death if it seemed advisable.

Meanwhile, the second volume of his Roman History was sent to press. The indifference with which, as he thought, it was received by the public, pained him much; but he persisted in his resolution of continuing the work. The circumstances of that time, when the public attention was universally engrossed by the great transactions taking place in the north of Europe, were necessarily unfavorable to the reception of a work like his.

In October, 1812, he began a course of lectures on Roman antiquities, and went on with them to the end, notwithstanding

K

the excitement occasioned by the frequent passage of troops. He was likewise occupied by the revisal of the third volume of the History, which he intended to have ready for the printer by the beginning of the new year. This plan was frustrated by the important events that ensued, which engaged all his thoughts, and filled his soul with new hopes of deliverance from the French yoke. He was soon involved in the bustle and turmoil of public life.

Niebuhr had hitherto read his lectures gratis; he now took fees for them, which he devoted to the assistance of distressed families, who were naturally at this time more numerous than usual. To have it in his power to afford help wherever he saw anxiety or want, was always a joy to him. He and his wife exercised their benevolence most nobly, both in great things and small, and he often expressed his thankfulness to God for having given him the means to be of service.

During the winter of 1812–13, French troops were constantly passing through Berlin on their way from Russia. Their disasters kindled a ray of hope in every heart; and though the unutterable sufferings of the enemy excited general compassion, the spirit of patriotism rejoiced in the prospect of brighter days. On the evacuation of Berlin by the French, in February, 1813, Niebuhr shared in the national rejoicings, and not less in the enthusiasm displayed in the preparations for the complete re-conquest of freedom. When the Landwehr was called out, he refused to evade serving in it, as he could take no other part in the war. His wish was to act as secretary to the general staff; but if this were not possible, he meant to enter the service as a volunteer with some of his friends. For this purpose he went through the exercises, and when the time came for those of his age to be summoned, sent in his name as a volunteer to the Landwehr. He would have preferred entering a regular regiment, and applied to the King for permission to do so; but this request was refused by him, and he added that he would give him other commissions more suited to his talents.

Niebuhr's friends in Holstein could hardly trust their eyes, when he wrote them word that he was drilling for the army, and that his wife entered with equal enthusiasm into his feelings. The greatness of the object had so inspired Madame Niebuhr, who was usually anxious, even to a morbid extent, at the slightest imaginable peril for the husband in whom she might truly be said to live,

that she was willing and ready to bring even her most precious treasure as a sacrifice to her country.

In the mean time, however, that he might at least do something, if only indirectly, for the good cause, Niebuhr established a journal, under the sanction of the Prussian government, entitled the "Prussian Correspondent," the name of which expresses its object. He edited it himself, until he was, after a short time, called to head-quarters. He resumed the editorship several times afterward, but never for long together, because he was so frequently summoned in other directions. During the intervals, when the journal was conducted by other hands, some very bitter articles appeared against Denmark, which excited his strong displeasure, but for which he has nevertheless been much blamed in that country, where it was supposed that he was responsible for their insertion.

Extracts from Niebuhr's Letters from the Summer of 1810 to the Spring of 1813.

CXXIX.

TO MADAME HENSLER.

BERLIN, 1st October, 1810.

Zelter says that Goethe is at work on his biography, and means afterward to continue Wilhelm Meister. Zelter has been studying his Questions upon Music, and declares that he, not being at all musical, not even having learnt music, will yet bring forward a doctrine of acoustics, which is profound, quite novel, and in his opinion convincing. Here, also, he discovers the law of diverging tendencies. Is not this an extraordinary triumph of genius? Goethe has seen the King of Holland, and they are mutually pleased with each other.

I have offered my services to the Minister Dohna, with whom I am, as you know, on a footing of friendship, to organize the affairs of the provinces, but my name is not to be mentioned. I have already finished a consider

If it should be carried into actual

able part of this work, and given it in. operation, I should hope to feel myself of sufficient use, for my conscience

to be easy about the receipt of my salary.

I have been unwell for some time with low fever, but it is going off.

CXXX.

BERLIN, 13th October, 1810.

We are gradually making our arrangements for a more settled mode of life. My Milly has arranged all my books upon the shelves with much care and industry, which is worth a great deal to me. I buy a good many books at auctions now, so that my library enlarges every week. . . . . .

Within the last few weeks we have seen Savigny several times. He seems inclined to be very friendly with me, and I fancy we shall get in

timate when we have known each other longer. His wife is very lively and pleasing.

I have bought at an auction a bundle of pamphlets written in the sixteenth, and beginning of the seventeenth century. If, in a collection formed so fortuitously, we find many things that are excellent, and none that are positively bad, we can not but conceive a respect for the age that produced them. This collection contains a string of apophthegms, under the title of "New and True Gazette for the year 1620." Our literature has not, since its revival, recovered the truthful and earnest spirit which they breathe, although it has taken a higher flight. What does this profit us? It is now the delight of a few; formerly it was an expression of the national character; and we may justly call the period from Luther to the Thirty Years' War, the golden age of Protestant Germany.

I agree with you, that it is better not to read books in which you make the acquaintance of the devil. I have been reading criminal trials lately, and have seen how judges and accusers have come to look on the most hardened and crafty criminals as objects of interest. But no danger of

this kind can arise from reading a poetical work. In general the danger springs from the way in which vices are made to border on virtues, and the two are mingled together in characters, so that you rarely find any one so abandoned as to have no good sides to his character when you look closely into it, and hence you are apt to show him undue indulgence.

Amelia's eyes are again very weak; and you will therefore receive only a short postscript from her, for she can only write by daylight, and it is already some time since dinner. Her cough is rather more tolerable, but

not gone.

CXXXI.

BERLIN, 9th November, 1810. Milly has already answered your questions about my lectures, while I was at our philological society yesterday, so that I can only glean after her She has told you that the number of my hearers was much greater than I had anticipated. But their character, no less than their number, is such as encourages and animates me to pursue my labors with zeal and perseverance. You will feel this when I tell you that Savigny, Schleiermacher, Spalding, Ancillon, Nicolavius, Schmedding, and Süvern were present. In reply to your other question, I must tell you that I am more satisfied with them myself than with any of my former productions; (I have quite remodeled the introduction.) This is, no doubt, partly owing to the universal approbation they call forth, which is a great stimulus and high enjoyment to me. For besides the number and selectness of my audience, the general interest evinced in the lectures exceeds my utmost hopes. My introductory lecture produced as strong an impression as an oration could have done; and all the dry erudition which followed it, in the history of the old Italian tribes, which serves as an introduction to that of Rome, has not driven away even my unlearned hearers. The attention with which Savigny honors me, and his declaration that I am opening a new era for Roman history, naturally stimulate my ardent desire to carry out to the full extent the researches which one is apt to leave half-finished, as soon as one clearly perceives the result to which they tend, in order to turn to something fresh. That it is impossible, with two hours

a week, to present the history of Rome in due proportions in the course of a single winter, I am quite aware; and yet I would on no account compress what I have to say; for it is precisely this vivid, life-like representation of a multitude of well-defined objects, which constitutes the excellence of any historical work, that aims to rise above mediocrity. As far as I can, I compose the whole in manuscript in such a way that it may serve as the basis of a work, suited for publication. For I must begin to think of publishing now, because it is while I am delivering my lectures that my best discoveries in ancient history come to light, which, if not published, might probably be forgotten, and lost to the world. In addition to my previous discoveries, which are now all gaining in clearness and certainty, I have already made several new ones, some of which are very important, in the progress of my labors.

Our little philological association will not degenerate. We are reading and emendating Herodotus. I explain the historical, others the grammat

ical part, and thus we really form a miniature academy.

CXXXII.

BERLIN, 24th November, 1810. I advance but slowly with my lectures, and shall have to stop far from the goal; but I discover much that, to me at least, appears interesting ; for instance, the cyclical system of the old Italian mode of reckoning the years is new. The Mexican mode of chronology gave me a light upon this point. I have collected a great number of data tending to confirm my long-cherished view, that the West of Europe possessed a primitive and quite peculiar cultivation-a system of science strictly speaking-before it had received any influences from the East. I would rather write to you about things of this kind, than of what we see, and hear, and witness. I have received a commission which some might think important, but to me appears of very little consequence-to draw up a Constitution for the Academy of Science, in conjunction with Ancillon and some others. I like Savigny very much, and he seems to have a great regard for me too. Our respective studies lead us over the same ground, so that we have much to talk over and exchange with each other. I felt diffident when I first heard that he was among my hearers, but his extraordinary interest in my lectures is the most favorable sentence that could be pronounced on them, as he is certainly better acquainted with their subject than any other of our contemporaries.

7th December.-Since writing the above I have been at work on the Constitution of the Academy, with the view of completely remodeling it. I have also read a paper in the Academy lately. You see that I am fulfilling my engagement to you, and writing more than I read. May all go well with you, and Gretchen speedily recover!.

CXXXIII.

BERLIN, 19th March, 1810.

With a little more quiet my position would be one more completely in accordance with my wishes than I have long ventured even to hope for. There is such real mutual attachment between my acquaintances and myself, and our respective studies give such an inexhaustible interest to conversation, that I now really possess in this respect what I used to