On this page

• Text (2)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    300 The Leader and Saturday Analyst. [Ma...

  • 

    HUMBOLDT'S CONFIDENCES TO VARNHAGEN VON ...

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Railway Investments In Canada.* T He Sub...

    Tessly squandered . If the two powerful American companies want to use their line , and are found to be their best customers , in all conscience let them have their full swing , provided they give a fair and remunerating price ; and if they exact good faith and reciprocity in return , let them be met frankly and fairly . We Would even venture to-suggest that the American parties who appear to have been the first promoters , if not the originators of the Canadian Kailway , should again be offered a share in its management . Their local experience , and the powerful interest they have in sending their business through Canada , afford the strongest guarantees of their usefulness . Better far do this , assuming- our information to be correct , than continue a policy which must eventuate in the construction of a competing line across the Canadian peninsula , for which a charter has been granted by the provincial legislature .

    The effect of constructing this projected parallel railway may the better be judged of when it is stated that it will be thirty miles shorter and have far easier gradients . It will also be of the narrow guage—the same as the American lines , and thus save the cost and delav of transhipment at each terminus . Its cost , unencumbered by wow-paying branches , it is affirmed , will be so comparatively small , that the money am be raised upon asimple agreement on the part of the two powerful American companies to lease the new line at the inconsiderable sum of £ 120 , 000 a-year . We say inconsiderable , because it is only about six percent , of the gross average earnings of these companies for the last few years . Let this alternative be forced tipoii the Americans , and it must be seen , at a glance , that the Great Western share capital , if not also the bonded , must be speedily-annihilated .

    We have not alluded to the circumstances which knocked the Great Western of Canada out of the Grand Trunk Chain . This was the resiilt , we believe , of bad faith on the part of the Canadian Government , which controlled the location of the latter railway , and made its western extension to London and Sarnia independent of the ( jJreat Western , contrary to an express understanding ' ... , pur remarks , if they serve no other purpose , will , we trust , have the effect of pointing out the necessity there exists for greater vigilance on thd part of those who have invested largely in colonial and foreign undertakings , 'whether managed by Englishmen or not . Nothing , perhaps , would have a more salutary effect vipori the administration , of such , property than the bringing to bear with full force tjtie criticisms of the independent press of this country . Colonial and'foreign- papers , and especially American , are _ but little read hero , and their statements are still less heeded ; whilst those home journals specially devoted to railways seldom take the trouble to go beyond official statements for their information .

    300 The Leader And Saturday Analyst. [Ma...

    300 The Leader and Saturday Analyst . [ March 31 , I 860 .

    Humboldt's Confidences To Varnhagen Von ...

    HUMBOLDT'S CONFIDENCES TO VARNHAGEN VON ¦ ; , ¦ ' . - ¦ . ¦ ENSE . . / JFi'om Varnhagen ' s Diary : — - " HuMboudt remarked to Gans , after the Revolution of July , Believe ine , my friend , my wishes are as ardent as yours for the success of the new Government , but my hopes are very faint . These forty years past I have seen the rulers in Paris ei > me and go , ever falling by their own incapacity , fresh promises succeed each Other never to be fulfilled , and the same road to destruction is trodden again and again . . I have been intimate with most mou of

    the day , and in some of "them I confided ; there were excellent and well-muitnihg men amongst them , but they did not holdfast to their principles , and soon became no better than their predecessors ; often they dugonoi-atcd info something- worse , giviiter rascals . No Government up to the present 1 ms lcopt fuith with the people , none have wudo . their selfishness subordinate to the coiunion weal . Till the rulers can do this no power will bo stable hvFrance : the nation has been constantly deceived , and will be deceived again , — then ng'iiin it wiU punish the falsehood and the deceit , for it is strong enough imcl ri-po enough to do that . " , . ... " 11 th May , 1 S 3 G .

    " Early this morning Alexander vox Humboldt came to see roe , and stayed an hour and-a-half . The chief subjeut of our , con * versatiou was the French princes , who have just arrived . The king is in a considerable dilemma ; ho would gladly show them every attention , but would make it appear at St . Petersburg that every attention was a rudeness . The minister An * cixlon" did not venture to acquaint tho crown prince with the certainty of their coining , but left . jiiiu to obtain u chance knowledge of it . Ouv princes became much excited iiboufc it , and cui'sod tho unwelcome visit ; tho princesses Auavavx ami JLvnv , who spoko favourably of it , wore sharply rebuked . It was fluid an uproar would occur on their njipearaueo tit tho plirv ; soino would chcov , but more , it was to be hoped , would

    luss . At Trier * ft demonstration of this kind has already boon made . Nevertheless our princes , in spito of their annoyance , will bo very polito , tlio king ' s wishes upon this point having been too positively pronounced ^ Tho Queen of tho Netherlands , who is at present hero , mud who is supposed to bo tho most inveterate setts tho oxamplo , declaring her voadjneas to receive tho strangers into her house . Both tho ambassador , M . Bresson , ond M . von Hum ; - boldt counselled ngninst the vi . sit , bub it lias taken place , and , n » it would appear , at tho instigation of Prince Mrttbknicw , who in depiroiiH of obtaining the support of Franco in the Oriental question , yot afc tho srtino time without displeasing" llussiu . He therefore . pushes jPruasin fvirwuvd ^ after whoao example the reception of the jEPrcnuh princes will bo but proper and a natural conaequoncje . It is an ovoiid of (^ voitt iinpuvtunuu , und will bo pf groivli otlout upon the views and intentions of purtios , a fuel which spooks'tW itsoU ' . Qui

    court , every one will think , has either forsaken the principles it has appeared to support hitherto , or that it is too feeble to maintain them , and must therefore pretend to others . In both cases bad !" ; '¦ ¦¦' ¦ . " 3 rd May , 1837 . " M . von H 031 BOLDI was with me yesterday , and brought me the little pamphlet by the Minister Von Kamptz ; , " Casus in Terniinisj" of which only twenty-live copies have been printed . In this he represents the change of the French dynasty in the best light , and defends the Mecklenburg marriage . The marriage is still opposed . Duke Charles of Mecklenburg Strelitz has regularly intrigued against it , and has striven to form a party in the Mecklenburg and Prussian family , a fraternal union and pledge against all marriages with the House of Orleans ; there was , in fact , some talk of a formal protest . All this is in the most violent opposition , to the express will of the King . Duke Charles is now really ill from annoyance and worry , not only about this affair , but others . "

    " May 17 th . 1837 . " The Princess Hjelena gained a victory over many a rough and obstinate nature by her gentleness and her superior mind . It was thoroughly . ridiculous to see how some persons exerted themselves toappear ' grave , dignified , and—silly . She goes with the greatest joy ^ -at which I arn heartily delighted— -to her new country . I could wish her to cross the Rhine with some followers less . The mother is worthy and accomplished , but shy , and other parties <> f her suite were better left on this side of the Hhine . Fortunately in the French great world , there is an absence of that petty mockery and scandal which rules in Berlin and Potsdam , where for months together people pick to pieces a caricature of their own dull imaginations . " . . * ; " August 9 th , 1838 .

    " Humboidt told me in the course of a lengthened visit , the news from Toplitz .. The King Of Prussia and the Emperor of Russia v liave mutually avoided being alone together , each fearing * awkward explanations . The Emperor on several occasions spoke contemptuously of the present system of government in France , and worse of King Ijodis Pxiiltppts in particular . Prince Metteenich was easy and cli ' eeriul , free from care for the present , but still hugged the gloomy idea that with the death of Lons Philippe , a change would occur , and war be inevitable ; Is it , I ask , his object to iinpress others with the same idea ? In receiving opinions from Mettjsiinicji , it is necessary tcexamine how far they tally with his own immediate interests . " . "February 21 th , 1812 .

    " HriiBOLDT gives me a fine account of Etighmd . At court the greatest pomp , but the style of living simple and natural , the conversation easy , the tone altogether pleasant and , goodnatured ,. even between ladies and gentlemen connected with opposite parties . Pjeel does not please him now any more than of yore ; he looks like a . Dutchman , is niore conceited than ambitious * has petty views . Lord Abeupeen ^ is a taciturn block , but does not succeed by silence in making people believe tluit he can talk very sensibly if he pleases . BunseN lias committed the greatest blunder ^; all the world is against him , but the king more , than ever for him . The journey of the king , altogether , was an intrigue of Buxsen ' s : so say even the English . ' " April 1 st , 1846 .

    Bcr > SJEN lias not improved in understanding , ; he has advised the king to purchase California , to send missionaries thither , and so forth . He patronises tho enterprise of Mrs . Helfebt , and will send his own son with her , and invest twelve thousand pounds of bis own property to fovmd a settlement by which missionaries inhight be encouraged ; ho withdrew , howeyer , his offer on perceiving that the king ' s support was uncertain . Mrs , Helfekt , meanwhile , has received only ten thousand thalers from the king ; tho minister Rotixeu l ' uvs thwarted her schemes , but had to despatch two "gents to report upon the state of her possessions in the East . Indies . The king's patronage for u settlement in . Texas has boen sought , of course mixed up with religious interests . Httzwoldt wrote

    Bu ^ sun a sharp letter of advice , calling upon bun to warn Eicithorn , ttiid requesting to consider the hatred which tho conduct of Jthat ; mtiu was exciting , and which fell , upun tho king ; ho spoko to him in my presonco to the saino clToct , fully and clearly . ByNSEN , however , who had spoken zyulously w . itli him about t \ Srt > hours upon Egypt , replied not a syllable to all this , bub rone and wont away . Bumuoldt thinks him vain onoujyh to accept olneo hero . I think Huxiboldt in altogether too intimulo ami friendly with Bunsen ! I-JuMBOX-liT'thinks tho queon has . no prt'feroiK'O for tho Catholic religion ; aheis , on tho contrary , thoroughly ProU-stunt , and ino . ru religiously zealous than oven the king , whom sho oncouragos in this dii-e « tiou . Slio would effect more if sho comprehended tho matter better . " , " Juno SO , 18 IX .

    " General Leopold von Geul . voit , who is fond of his jest ., took tho liberty lately of venturing an attticlc upon IIitmbolw 1 , and said to him , ' Your Excellency doubtloas goua now frequently to cliurch / This was said with tlie view to confuse Wumjuojudt . Hq , however , instuntly rtyuiined : ' That is . certainly a vory kind inquiry of yours just now . Von , no doubt , wish to potnt out how I jni ffht try to push my fortune in tho world . ' Tli « canting 1 hypocrito \ v \\ a struck dumb , Humuoldt assured mo that , but tor his cannoxion with tho Court , ho oould not live in Berlin j ho would bo banished ; ao greatly was ho bated by tho ultras a » d thp n \ i \ un pious . Every inetnis was adopted to sot tho K'iny ugninat him ; in otljov eountrios of Uc-rmany ho would not b « tulorated oUher so soon us ho wore to loso the pro tooiion and hftlo of his position . " :

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 31, 1860, page 14, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31031860/page/14/