The Miseries of Greatness.

—No condition of life seems to be exempt from its peculiar ills.

The Berlin Journals of recent date contain the following appeal from Baron Humboldt, now in his 90th year of age:

“Berlin, March 15th, 1859.

“Suffering beneath the pressure of a still increasing correspondence, amounting to between sixteen hundred and two thousand communications per annum, and embracing letters, printed pamphlets on matters with which I am wholly unacquainted, manucripts concerning which my opinion is desired, projects for emigration and colonization, the transmission of models, machines, and objects of natural history, inquirers about ærostatics, requests of contributions to collections of autographs, offers to take charge of my domestic concerns, to amuse me, &c., I must again publicly urge all persons having my welfare at heart to exert their influence in my behalf, that individuals in both continents may no longer trouble themselves with my person, and make of my house an intelligence office; and that I be allowed, in the declining state of my physical and mental powers, to enjoy some rest and leisure to attend to my duties.

May this cry for relief, which I utter with much reluctance, and after long delay, not meet an unfriendly interpretation!

Alexander Von Humboldt.”