Wilhelm von Humboldt

Peter Stephen Duponceau an Wilhelm von Humboldt, 28.07.1821

By desire of the Historical & Literary Committee of the American Philosophical Society, & also of the American Antiquarian Society, I have the honor of addressing to you a Copy of the first volume of each of their Transactions, which they beg you will be pleased to accept in token of their respect for your personal character & of their high estimation of your literary labours. At their like desire, I take the liberty of sending also to you another copy of each of the said Transactions, which they should feel exceedingly happy if they could obtain a place in his Majesty’s library. They have been informed that your august Sovereign has given orders to procure here American Books of Science, & they would be pleased to contribute to the promotion of an object so honorable to our country. They request that you will be pleased, Sir, to obtain for them this signal favour.

My much lamented friend, the late Dr J. A. Albers^[a], of Bremen, informed me in one of his letters, that a copy of our late Dr B Smith Barton’s account of the Siren lacertina was wanting for his Majesty’s library, & requested me to procure a copy of it. I searched thro’all the Bookstores without success & found that the Edition was entirely exhausted. On my mentioning the circumstance to the author’s son, Mr Pennant Barton^[b] (who is now in his travels to Europe & probably will visit your city) he immediately caused a few copies of the work to be reprinted, of which I have the honor to send you two, one of which Mr Barton begs leave to present to his Majesty’s library & the other to you.

Having understood from my friend Mr John Pickering of Salem, that you wish to have certain American works, of which he gave me the titles, & having fortunately duplicates of some of them by me, I take the liberty of sending them herewith enclosed. I do it with the more freedom, that most, if not all of these works, are entirely out of print, & are not to be obtained for money. I have long wished to dispose of these duplicates to some useful purpose, & am happy in the opportunity which Mr Pickering gives me of effecting my design.

I beg leave to add two small pamphlets by which you will see that German Literature is duly appreciated in this country, & becomes every day more & more the object of our attention If I can be of any use to you, Sir, in affording my aid to your learned Philological & Philosophical researches, particularly as they relate to the language, History & manners of the Aborigines of this country, which have been a favorite object of my studies, I shall be happy in rendering you all the services that will be in my power & I beg that on all occasions you will command them freely.