Alexander von HUMBOLDT (1769-1859) traveler and geographer. L.A.S., Saturday [1833 ?, to Eugène Lerminier]; 2 1/2 pages in-8. He has not yet been able to "study your beautiful work on the 18th century" [De l'influence de la philosophie du XVIIIe siècle sur la législation et la sociabilité du XIXe], but is pleased with the article in Le Temps which does justice to "this rare combination of talents that distinguish you, [...He asks Lerminier for advice on his title [Examen critique de l'histoire de la géographie du Nouveau Continent et des progrès de l'astronomie nautique au XVe et XVIe siècles]: "I do not know if it should centuries or century) and on my dedication to Arago. Perhaps the turn of phrase whose sagacity displeases you in this lapidary style, Mr. Arago who by his admirable sagacity seems to me worse. I hate the who. If I dare to imitate the turn of phrase which Mr. Laplace had the courage to use to raise me to him, if I say to D. Fr. Arago as a tribute for his works which have extended, I lose what I especially want to add: tribute of invariable devotion to which I hold doubly in a time and a country where it will displease, I hope, people who do not like me more than Mr. Arago ". He scoffs at his "national thoroughness [...] Why make French dedications in the Huguenot Semnones?"