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of the hand, and a heartier, ‘God bless you; come again to Sans Souci’ I said I hoped I might.
‘Mais malheureusement, nous n'aurons pas de mariage.’
I came in with the Minister at War, old General Nostitz,—Blucher's aide-de-camp,—and my general from the coronation,—name forgotten,—he amusing us with accounts of the ceremonies and ladies there.
But I have neither room nor time to tell you details; but I will add, that Humboldt's kindness was consistent to the last moment, and in every possible way. When I came to town, being en grande tenue, I made a call on our Minister,—but did not tell him where I came from,—and then went to the Pertzes'. . . . . I stayed till after eleven, and had a first-rate time; came home and wrote till half past 12.
This morning I feel rested; but I have a good deal of work to do to-day; go at ten to see some rare Spanish books; at one to Humboldt; at five to Varnhagen; and fill the rest of the time with writing about books.
To-morrow I settle accounts, pay up, and send off everything to Leipzig; and on Sunday, at six, expect to meet Alessandro [his courier] at the station.
The Duke of Saxe-Cobourg, who has taken half the hotel for the fetes of the marriage, arrived last night, while I was at the Pertzes', and the consequence is that the entries are full of livery-servants, and the porte-cochere is garnished with a guard of honor.
To Hon. E. Everett.1
Berlin, September 20, 1856.
. . . . Two evenings ago I was at Dr. Pertz's house, in a very brilliant and intellectual party, where were the Milmans and Horners from London, Ranke, Meineke,—the Grecian,—Ehrenberg, Encke, Lepsius, and others of the same sort, when a nice white-headed, charming old lady, with a very taking little Scotch accent, and who seemed much valued by all about her; spoke to me, and told me she was Miss Gibson, that pleasant, pretty little Scotch girl whom we knew at Dresden and Potsdam just forty years ago, and who tells me she has the handwriting of both of us in her album.
I assure you I had a most pleasant talk with her. She is still Miss Gibson, living here much regarded, with a good fortune . . . . She is connected with the Sutherland family, by the beautiful Marchioness of Stafford, 