TTXLLIA3I VOX HI^rffiGLBT. 421
The death of such a "woman could not but "be deeply
felt. The report of her death in the Berlin Allge-
Zeitung contained the words :—i<: The
merits of her mind and character made the deceased
lady the object of universal interest and esteem/' By
her travels she had become connected with every-
thing great in science and art> and as in Home,
Vienna^ and Paris^ so had her house in Berlin been the
centre for the most intellectual and agreeable society.
But her loss was most deeply felt by her family,
and principally by her husband. His love for her
had increased during the last few years^ but had now
reached its height. It seemed as if lie had again
"^on her3 when she preceded him to a higher world,
Her image never again left him ; it* was interwoven
"with all Hs ideas, it followed him in Ms dreams, it
occupied eveiy hour not devoted to serious study.
And the hope of a future life was infinitely increased
in confidence and strength by Hs desire to "be re-ianited
to his^wifa
Wiat first occupied him after her death was a
monument which he had determined to erect to her
memory in the park of Tegel, under the superintend-
ence of the great sculptor Ranch. This monument
was raised on a spot in the park to which the deceased
had been especially partial^ and had herself chosen
for a resting-place. In the meantime her body was
deposited in the churchyard of Tegel until the monu-
ment was completed And frequently now Huxn-
boldt wandered through the* cypress alley leading to
the spot which contained these dear remains ; from
the sommit of the monument a splendid statue of
Speranza, which Thoxwaldsen had made expressly for
Madame von Hnmboldt, looked down consolingly and
trustfully.
Hnmboldt could soon not bear to leave Tegel
He retired into solitude from the bustle of the
and lived only in studies and in the past*