Humboldt ' s correspondence with Varnhagen von Erase (published 1860-62) there is
a distinct statement to the effect that Sir Robert Wilson, personating one of the Russian sentries on the raft moored in the river, overheard the con- versation between the two Emperors, and at once sent off, or personally conveyed, the news to London. At this distance from my books, I cannot give the exact reference to the date of Humboldt's letter ; but my memory is quite clear on the fact. Whence Humboldt obtained his information I do not know, or whether he had taken any steps to verify it; but it was not, to my knowledge, challenged at the time. Apparently it was either not known or not generally credited during Sir R. Wilson's lifetime, for the Princess Lieven, when writing about his connection with the partisans of Queen Caroline, although making several references to his antecedents, does not allude to his being so closely mixed up with Russian politics, as she might have reasonably done had his adventure been publicly or privately known.—I am, Sir, &c., LIONEL G. ROBINSON.
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