t was; yet still Niebuhr could write
soothingly to his parents: 'You must not be uneasy: I can earn a
living either as a scholar or a merchant; and if I do not succeed in
one country, I shall in another.' To Mme Hensler also he wrote
cheeringly, but under caution, for all letters were unsafe. In the
meantime, the indefatigable student took the opportunity of learning
Russian and Sclavonic.

It is difficult to follow out his course distinctly during the next
three and a half trying years. He was always employed in the finance
department, and for some little time was a privy-councillor; but he
differed widely in his views from some of those with whom he worked.
His letters shew the most conscientious desire to put aside every
thought of personal ease, and to avert from the poor people around, if
possible, some part of the calamity which hostile armies and bad
government entailed on them; and it is delightful to observe his
perfect honesty and plainness of speech as a statesman--his high ideas
of truthfulness in all things. Yet they were mournful years; and his
health at last thoroughly failing, he sent in his resignation to the
king of Prussia, and solicited the office of historiographer, vacant
by the death of Mueller. This was granted; and in 1810, he and his wife
once more found a settled home at Berlin.

And now came the happiest time of his life; though the great delicacy
of his wife's health was an obstacle to the feeling of security, and
though still the menaces of Napoleon sounded fearfully loud, if not
close at hand. The breathing-time, however, was delightful. The
university of Berlin was now just opened, and thither came intelligent
professors, men of renown in art and science, in knowledge and wisdom.
As historiographer to the king, Niebuhr's part was to lecture on
history; and now, for the first time, the treasures he had long been
amassing came into direct use as the means, through his management, of
instructing other minds. He had never before delivered public
lectures, and his advantages in manner were not great; but the success
of his first essays on the history of Rome, proves how solid and real
must have been the information he had to bestow. He was attended not
merely by the young men, but by members of the academy, by professors,
by military and public men of all grades. It is no wonder that he
succeeded thus: he was half a Roman by nature and feeling.

So passed the happy years of his professorshi