On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Ne^ 3,1^5^ ^ THjS ; Lf #D| y. ; 1059

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Life Of Goethe. Life And Works Of Goethe...

    still remain tovtartiiH 0 thefbniefl of the age , xftay be read a self ^ questloning ft » d itPtttimental retrospection , enough t 6 create in healthy minds a distaste both for sentimSind self ^ estioriing . A factitious air i « carried even by the most respectable sentiments ; and many nbt respectable array thc « n 3 elves in rose-pink . Nature is seldom spoken of bnt in hysterical enthusiasm . Tears and caresses are prodigally scattered , and upon the slightest provocations . In Coburg an Order of Mercy and Expiation is instituted by sensitive noodles . Leuchsenring , whom Goethe satirized in JPaty Brey , as a professional . sentimentalist , gets up a secret society , and call 5 ^ t * ° e Order of Sentiment , to which tender souls think it a privilege to belong . Friendship is fantastically deified ; brotherly love draws trembling souls together , not on the solid grounds of affection and mutual service , but on entirely imaginary grounds of " spiritual communion ;" whence arose , as Jean Paul wittily says " an universal love for all men and beasts—except reviewers . " It was a sceptical epoch , in which everything established came into question . Marriage , of course , came badly off among a set of men who made the first commandment of genius to consist in loving your neighbour and your neighbour ' s wife . crisis

    These were symptoms of disease ; the social organization was out of order ; a , evidently imminent , was heralded by extravagances in literature , as elsewhere . ^ The cause of the disease was want of faith . In religion , in philosophy , in politics , in morals , this eighteenth century was ostentatious of its disquiet and disbelief . The old faith , which for so long had made European Life an organic unity , and which in its tottering weakness had received a mortal blow from Luther , was no longer universal , living , active , dominant ; its place of universal directing power was vacant ; a new faith had not arisen . The French Revolution was another crisis of that organic disturbance which had previously shown itself in another order of ideas , —in the Reformation . Beside this awful crisis , other minor crises are noticeable . Everywhere the same Protestant spirit breaks through traditions in morals , in literature , and in education . Whatever is established , whatever rests on tradition , is questioned . The classics are no longer believed in ; men begin to maintain the doctrine of Progress , and the superiority of the moderns . Art is pronounced to be in its nature progressive . Education is no longer permitted to pnrsue its broad traditional path ; the methods which were excellent for the past no longer suffice for the present ; everywhere new methods rise up to ameliorate the old . The divine riprht of institutions

    ceases to gain credence . The individual claimed and proclaimed his freedom ; freedom of thought and freedom of act . Freedom is the watchward of the eighteenth century . ^ On the publication of Werther and the commencement of Goethe ' s ¦ world-wide fame , Mr . Lewes pauses in his narrative to give a survey of German Literature up to this period , so that the reader who is not conversant "with the subject may have a fair idea of Goethe ' s position in the intellectual history of his nation . Then he takes tip the thread of his narrative , and shows us the young Literary Lion at Frankfort , the wild flirtation which gave rise to Clairgo , the warm beginning of the friendship with Lavater , and the more transient intimacy with the strange JBasedow . The reader will be amused with the following portraits of these very heterogeneous friends : —

    Lavater forms a curious figure is the history of those days : a compound of ths intolerant priest , and the factitious sentimentalist . He had fine talents , and a streak of genius , but he was ruined by vanity and hypocrisy . Born in Zurich 1741 , he was eight years Goethe ' s senior . In his autobiographic sketch he has represented himself indicating as a child the part he was to play as a man . Like many other children , he formed for himself a peculiar and intimate relation with God , which made him look upon his playfellows with scorn and pity , because they did not share his " need and use of God . " He prayed for wonders , and the wonders came . God corrected his school exercises . God concealed his many thoughts , and brought to light his virtuous deeds . In fact , Lavater was a born hypocrite ; and Goethe rightly named him " from the beginning the friend of Lies , who stooped to the basest flatteries to gain influence . " To this fluttering , cringing softness , he united the spirit , of priestly domination . Ilia first words made a great sensation . In 1769 he translated Bonnet ' s Palingeni' & le ,

    adding notes in a strain of religious sentimentalism then very acceptable . At a time when the critics were rehabilitating Homer and the early singers , it was natural thnt the religious world should attempt a restoration of the early Apostolic spirit . At a time when belief in poetic inspiration waa a first article of the creed , belief in prophetic inspiration found eager followers . I have already touched on the sentimental extravagance of the time ; and for those whom a reasonable repugnance will keep from Lavater ' s letters and writing . " , one sentence mny be quoted sufficiently significant . To the lovely Countess Hranconi ho wrote : " O toi cheri pour la vie , l ' amc do mon & me ! Ton mouchoir , tes cheveux , sont pour mos ce que ines j ^ rreti & ros sont pour toi I" & c , which from a priest to a married woman i . s somewhat unctuous , but which is surpassed by what lie allowed to be addressed by an admirer to himself , e . g . ; " Oh that I could lie on thy breast in Sabbath holy evening stillness—oh thou angel ! " Ono sees that this rhodomontade went all round . They

    wept , and were wept on . In contrast with these friendships , with grave philosophical speculations and lofty poetic projects such as the Wandering Jew and Prometheus , stands the romantic story of Goethe ' s attachment to Lili , which closes tliia Sturm and Drang- period , and immediately precedes liis departure for Weimar . Hero the guidance of his Autobiography censes , and for the remaining half century of Goethe's life , he himself only gives us occasional information in tlio Itaf ' tanigcJie Heine , the Campagne in . Vranlcrcich , and the Tart tmd Jalires-llefte . Willi the commencement of the Fourth Book , entitled tho Qeuialixch Period at ] Vchuur , wo enter into entirely new scenes and flnmv society , and Mr . Lewes has done his best to nialee us at home in thorn by restoring for us tho Weimar of the eighteenth century , and sketching the principal figures at ita Court during tlio curlier years of Goctho'a residence there . Wo have portraits ( in words ) of all the

    notabilities—not only thoso oi' widely-known fume , such « a Wicland , Herder , tho Dowager Duchess Aurulia , Karl August and hie Duchesa Luisc—but leas conspicuous nnmes among tho dramatic parson ce , such as tho little humpbacked maid-of-honour , Mdlle . GocUIiiuihcd , and tlio beautiful nctivsN Corona SohrOter . The most interesting points which this fourth book brings into relief in relation to Goetlio's character are tho noble friendship between him and Karl August , hid attachment to the Tran von Stein , nnd Ins secret bencfieenco to tho por . son known by the name of Kraft—a bonofi-Ccnco so far beyond anything which tho motives even of benevolent peoplu usually prompt , that it would probably aeom incredible to many , if the evidence admitted of a doubt . They woi'o guy and busy years , the « e curly times at Weiinur ; gay with private tlicuLricufa , boar-hunting , whaling parties by torchlight , « nd other diversions of thufc i'reo nnd joyous kind Private stages were then the rngo in Germany ; but , says M . Lowos : — The Woimor theatre surpassed them nil . It had ita poetn , ( Joctho , Finalcdol , etc , ;

    its composers , its scene-painters , its costttuiteiPS , WStfeVSffifcdwed' ai ^ r tafcnt ^& ar recitation , singing , or dancing , was pressed into service , and had to work as hard as if his bread depended on it . The almost daily rehearsals of- drama , opera t or ballet , occupied the delighted men and women , glad to have something to do . The troupe ¦ was distinguished : the Duchess Amalia , Karl August , Prince Constantine , Bode r Knebel , Einsiedel , Musaeus , Seckendorf , Bertuch , and Goethe ; with Corona Schrott * * . Kotzebue ' s sister Amalia , andFraulein Go ' ckbausen . These formed a curious stroU- * - ing company , wandering from Weimar to all the palaces in the neighbourhood- " Ettersburg , Tiefurt , Belvedere , even to Jena , Dornburg , and Ilmenau . Often die ! Bertuch , as Falk tells us , receive orders to have the sumpter waggon , or travelling kitchen , ready for the early dawn , when the Count would start with its wandering :

    troupe . If only a short expedition was intended , three sumpter asses were sufficient-If it was more distant , over hill and dale , far into the distant country , then indeed thenight before was a busy one , and all the ducal pots and pans were in requisition . Suchboiling and stewing , and roasting ! such slaughter of capons , pigeons , and fowls ! The ponds of the Ilm were dragged for fish ; tho woods were robbed of theirpartridges ; the cellars were lightened of their wines . With early dawn rode forth the merry party , full anticipation , wild with animal spirits . On they went throughsolitudes , the grand old trees , of which were wont only to see the soaring hawk poisedabove their tops , or the wild-eyed deer bounding past the hut of the charcoal burner . On they went : youth , beauty , gladness , and hope , a goodly train , like that which " animated the forest of Ardent . eg , when " under the shade of melancholy boughs" the pensive Duke and his followers forgot awhile their cares and " painted pomps . " Their stage was soon arranged . At Ettersburg the traces are still visible of this forest stage , where , when weather permitted , the performances took place . A wing of the chateau was also made into a theatre . But the open air performances were most

    relished . To rehearsals and performances in Ettersburff the actors , sometimes as many as twenty , were brought in the Duke ' s equipages ; and in the evening , after a joyous supper , often enlivened with songs , they were conducted home by the Duke'B bodyguard of Hussars bearing torches . It was here they performed Ein & iedel ' s opera . The Gypsies with wonderful illusion . Several scenes of Gniz von Berlichingen wereworen into it . ' The illuminated trees , the crowd of gypsies in the wood , the dances and songs under the blue starlit heavens , while the sylvan bugle sounded from afar , made up a pictnre , the magic of which was never forgotten . On the Ilni also , at Tiefurt , just where the river makes a beautiful bend round the shore , a regular theatre was constructed . Trees , and other natural objects , such as fishermen , nixies , waterspirits moon , and stars , —all were introduced with effect . The Weimar gaiety was rather wild aud boisterous at first , but on Goethe ' s part it was soon toned down into compatibility with official and literary diligence . A propos of this gradual transition , _ M . Lewes ha * some observations , which we quote because they tend to dissipate a . very common misconception : — .

    It is worth bearing in mind what the young Goethe was , that we may the better understand the reason of what he became . No sooner had he commenced his career as politician , than he began to tone down the extravagance of bis demeanour ; without foregoing any enjoyments , he trted to accord more with those in whom a staid demeanour was necessitated by their more flagging pulses of lethargic life . One month after his appointment , Wieland writes of him : " Goethe did in truth , during the first months of his visit here , scandalize most people ( never me ) ; but from the moment that he decided on becoming a man of business , he has conducted himself with blameless < roo < ppoffvvn and all worldly prudence . " Elsewhere he saye : " Goethe , with all his real and apparent sauvagerie has , in his little finger , more conduite and savoir faire than all the court parasites , Boniface sneaks , and political cobweb-spinners have in their whole bodies and souls . So long as Karl August livesno power can remove him . " « & . -. . » _ d ^ . M ~ * A 4 ^ M % ~ i ^ k _ ^ t a ¦ ^ tf ^ « H rife 44 ^ 4 there lesB and

    As we familiarize ourselves with the dctnils of this episode ,, appears less plausibility in the often iterated declamation against Goethe on the charge of ^ his having " sacrificed his genius to the court . " It becomes indeed a singular foolish display of rhetoric . Let us for a moment consider the charge . lie had to choose a career . That of poet was then , even more than now , impossible ; verso could create fame , but no money : fama and fames were then , as ever , in terrible contiguity . As soon as the necessity for the career is admitted , much objection falls to the ground ; for those who reproiich him with having wnsted bis timo on court festivities , and tho duties of government which others would have done as well , must ask whether ho would have saved that time had lie followed the career of jurisprudence and jostled the lawyers through the courts at Frankfurt ? or would they prefer seeing nun reduced to the condition of poor Schiller , wasting bo much of l . is precious life in literary ' hackwork , ' translating French books for a miserable pittance 1 Time , in any case , would have been claimed ; in return for that given to Karl August , he received , as bo confesses in the poem addiesscd to tho duke , " what the great teldom bestow--af 1 ectionleisureconfidencegarden and Iiohpc . No one have I had to thank but mm ;

    , , , and much have I wanted , who , as a poet , ill understood the nits of gain . If Europe praised me , what has Europe done for me ? Nothing . Even my works have been an expense to mo . " , , . . ,,, „„„ In 1801 writing to his mother on tho complaints uttered ngainat lam by tnoso who judged eo falsely of his condition , he shj h they only saw what he gave up , not what he gained—they could not comprehend how he grew doily richer , though Ho daily travo up 8 O much . Uo confesses tluit tho narrow circle of a burgher lite would have ill-nccordwl with hia ardent and wiilo-Bwccping spirit . Hud ho remained nt Frankfurt he would have been ignorant of tlio world . But hero tke panorama oi hie was unrolled lieforo him , and hid experience was everyway enlarged . 1 ) id nob Leonardo du Vinci spend much of hi * timo charming the court of Milan with lim poetry nnd hitc-plnyin « ? did lie not aluo spend time in mechanical and hydrostatical labour ** for tho stotu ? ISIo rtpioach in lifted agaiin . t hia augubt narr . o j no one erica out atiuiiiKt / tin being fulnc to hi » genius ; no ono rebukes him for having painted 80-little -. it one period . jTho " Laat Huppor" speaks for him . Will not Tasno , Jpluffema , Hermann , uud Dorothea , Faust , Meitiler , and tho long list of Goethe ' s works , wpoalc

    I hnvo dwelt mainly on tho dissipation of hia time , because the notion that a courfc lifo nlTccU ' . d his RoniiiH by " corrupting his mind" ia preposterous . No reader ol this biography , it . in to bo hoped , will fail to fice tho truo relations in which ho stood to tlio duko ; how free thoy woro , from anything like aervUity , or suppression or genuine impulse . Indwd ono of tho complaints against liim , according to tho unexceptionable authority of Iiicmcr , wna that niudo by tho subalterns , " of hia not being 8 u » icio » iWy nttontive to court etiquette . " To any , an Niobuhr soya , that tho " court wa / i a , Dalilah to which ho sacrificed his locks , " ia profoundly to in ) Hunderntan < l i »» »> ' •""''' profoundly to intorond hia lite . Had liia icuniiu u « en of that stormy «¦ ' «»» « ' ^ products great Roformcr » and great Mnrtynt , —hud it beun hlrt '" .,, " , ' ,, „ ,, „ , „ | fty mankind bv worda which , rovcibenitinn to their ininoht r vif . ly-il .. Wir , K Mm .... ' , ' «« ' « " « ' " ^ ' t whoH 0 tho banks . Hut ' bo wuh not u ICoforiner , not a JUm ^ r . no w « a « l

    Ne^ 3,1^5^ ^ Thjs ; Lf #D| Y. ; 1059

    Ne ^ 3 , 1 ^ 5 ^ ^ THjS ; Lf # D | y . ; 1059

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 3, 1855, page 15, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03111855/page/15/