On this page
-
Text (1)
-
Untitled Article
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.
-
-
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.
Untitled Article
utifl jeniain * o testify to ^ efoHSes *)* the age , may be read a self-questioning 4 u * d sentimental retrospection , enougb to create in healthy minds a distaste both for « e . ntiraeit and self-questioning . A factitious air is carried even by the most respectable sentiments ; and many not respectable array themselves in rose-pink . Nature is seldom spoken of but in hysterical enthusiasm . Tears and caresses are prodigally scattered , and upon the slightest provocations . In Colburg an Order of Mercy and Expiation is instituted by sensitive noodles . Leuchsenring , whom Goethe satirized in jPaty JBrey , as a professional sentimentalist , gets up a secret society , and calls it the 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 mutnal service , but on entirely imaginary g rounds of *« spiritual communion ;" whence arose , as Jean Paul wittily says " an universal love for all men and Leasts—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 . These were symptoms of disease ; the social organization was out of order ; a crisis , evidently irnmintnt , 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 bad 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 arc 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 right 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 . Levres 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 up 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 , aud the more transient intimacy with the strange Basedow . The reader will be amused with the following portraits of these very heterogeneous frieuds : — Lavater forms a curious figure is the history of those days : a compound of tha intolerant priest , and the factitious sentimentalist . He liad 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 bis " 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 rightlj' named him " from the beginning the friend of Lies , who stooped to the basest flatteries to gain influence . " To this flattering , cringing softness , he united the spirit of priestly domination . His first words made a great sensation . In 1769 he translated Bonnet ' s Palinyanesie , adding notes in a strain of religious sentimental ism then very acceptable . At a time when the critica were rehabilitating Homer and the early singers , it was natural that the religious world should attempt a restoration of the early Apostolic spirit . At a time when belief in poetic inspiration was a firtt article of the creed , belief in prophetic inspiration found eager followers . 1 have already touched on the sentimental extravagance of the time ; and for those whom a reasonable repugnance will keep from Lavater ' s letters and writings , one sentence may be quoted sufficiently significant . To the lovely Countess Brnnconi ho wrote : " O toi cheri pour la vie , l'dme do mon amc ! Ton mouchoir , tea cheveux , sont pour mos ce que mes jarrotisres sont pour toi ! " &c ., which from a priest to a married woman is somewhat unctuous , but which i . i surpassed by what ho allowed to be addressed by an admirer to himsulf , a . y . : " Oh that I could lie on thy breast in Sabbath lu > ly evening stillness—oh tlvou angel ! " Ouo sees thut this rkodoniontade went all round . They wept , and wore wept on . In contrast with these friendships , with grave philosophical speculations and lofty poetic projects such as the Wandering Jaw and Prometheus , stands the romantic story of Goethe ' s attachment to Lili , which closes this Sturm and Drang period , aud immediately precedes his dtpnrturc for Weimar , llei'c the guidance of his Autobiography ceases , and for the remaining half century of Goethe ' s life , he himself only gives us occasional information in the Jtatiunische Jieise , the Cainjiag'iie in Frcxnkreic / i , and the 7 « g und Jahrex-llaftc . With the commencement of the Fourth Book , entitled tho Ocitiuliticli Period at Weimar , wo enter into entirely new scenes and jjnew society , and Mr . Lewes has done his best to make us at home in them by restoring for us tho Weimar of the eighteenth century , and sketching tho principal figures at its Court during tho earlier years of Gocthe'a ruuUcnce inure . Wo have portraits ( in words ) of all the notabilities—not only thoso of widely-known iiimc , eucli as Wicland , Herder , tho Dowager iJuchu . sg Auralia , Karl August aud hia Ducheea Luiso—but less conspicuous names among tho druntutis persona ; , such as the liltlo humpbacked niaid-ol ' -lionour , Mdllo . Goehhausen , and tho beuutitul aotresM Corona Scliriik-r . The most interesting points which thia fourth book brings into relief in relat ' on to Goethe ' s character arc tlio noble AiondMhip between liini ai ; d Kail August , his attachment to tho Trim von Stein , and his secret bonedconcu to the person known by tlio miino of Kraft—a beneficence so fur beyond anything which the motives even of benevolent people I usually prompt , that it would probably seem incredible to many , if the [ evidence admitted of a doubt . They were gay and busy years , thtitic early ' times at AYeunur ; gay with private theatricals , boar-hunting , slutting parties by torchlight , and other diversions of that free and joyous kind . Privuto stages were then the rage in . Germany ; but , ways M . Lowes : — TIao Weliuiu ihoaU'o eurpawjod them ull . It hud its puc-ta , ( Jootliu . Jbinaioilcl , etc .:
its composers , its scene-painters , its coatuiQiewi '''''^ W ^ i iis ^ K B ^ ci «^ - -mj \ ^^ i ^' 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 , or ballet , occupied the delighted men and women , glad to have something to do ~ The troupewas distinguished : the Duchess Amalia , Karl August , Prince Constantine , Bode ,. Knebel , Einsiedel , Musseus , Seckendorf , Bertuch , and Goethe ; with Corona SchwJter , Kotzebue ' s sister Amalia , and Praulein Gockhausen . These formed a curious strolling company , wandering from Weimar to all the palaces in the neighbourhood—Ettersburg , Tiefurt ,. Belvedere , even to Jena , Dornburg , and Ilmenau . Often did 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 the night before was a busy one , and all the ducal pots and pans were in requisition . Sxichv boiling and stewing , and roasting ! such slaughter of capons , pigeons , and fowls ! The ponds of the Ilm were dragged for fish ; the woods were robbed of their partridges ; the cellars were lightened of their wines . "With early dawn rode forth the merry party , full anticipation , wild with animal spirits . On they went through solitudes , the grand old trees , of which were wont only to see the soaring hawk poised above 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 Ardem . es , 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 thia forest stage , ° where , when weather permitted , the performances took place . Awing of the chateau was also made into a theatre . But the open air performances were most relished . To rehearsals and performances in Ettersburg 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 s bodyguard of Hussars bearing torches . It was here they performed Einsiedel ' s opera , The Gypsies with wonderful illusion . Several scenes of Gotzvon Berlichingen were woven 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 Ilm also , at Tkfurt 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 jiropos of this gradual transition , M . Lewes has 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 urderstand the reason of what he became . No sooner had he commenced his career as politician , than he began to tone down the extravagance of hw demeanour ; without foregoing any enjoyments , he tritd to accord more with those in whom a staid demeanour was necessitated by their more flagging pulses of lethargic life . Une month after his appointment , Wieland writes of him : " Goethe aid in truth during the first months of his visit here , scandalize most people ( never me ) ; but from tne moment that he decided on becoming a man of business , he has conducted himselt with blameless < ra >< ppoa-uvr ) and all worldly prudence . " Elsewhere ue saye ~ " Goethe with all bis real and apparent savvagerie has , in his little finger , more conduite and tawir faire than all the court parasites , Boniface sneaks , and political cobweb-spinners have in their whole bodies aud souls- So long as Karl August live * no power can remove him . " . As we familiarize ourselves with the details of this episode , there appears less ami le < s plausibility iu the often iterated declamation against Goethe on the charge of Ins having " sacrificed his genius to the court . " It becomes indeed a singular foolish display of rhetoric . Let us for a moment consider the charge . He had to choose a career That of poet was then , even more than now , impossible ; verse 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 reproach him with having wasted his time on court festivities , andtbe duties of povcrnmciit which others would have done as well , must ask whether he would have saved that time had he followed the career of jurisprudence and jostled the lawyers through the courts at Frankfurt ? or would they prefir seeing him reduced to tho eonelition of poor Schiller , wasting eo much of Ilia precious life in literary ' hackwork , ' translating French books for a miserable pittance ? lime , in any case , would have been claimed ; in return for that given to Karl August , ho received , as no confesses-in the poem addicsEcd to the duke , " what the great seldom bcStow _ -aflcction , leisure , coniidenco , garden and house . No one have 3 had to thank but him ; and much have I wanted , who , as a poet , ill underetood the aits of gain . II Europe praised me , what has Europe done for mo ? Nothing . Even my works have been an expcmbc ome . ^ ^ mothor on thQ complaints '' uttered against him by thoao who judged so falsely of hit . condition , he snys they only saw what he gave up , not what bcVmcd-they could not comprehend bow be grew daily no her , though ! e daily gave up so much . Ho confesses that the narrow circle of a burgher life would have Ill-accordcid with his ardent and wide-sweeping spirit . Hud ho remained at Frankfurt ho would have been ignorant of tho world . But licre the panorama or me was unrolled before him , and hia experience wua everyway enlarged . IJiU not Leonardo da Vinci spend much of his time- charming tho court of Milan wilJi Jus poetry and lule-pluyiiitf ? did he not also spend time in nicclianicul und hydrotstAticttl . labour * for the state ? No reproach is lifted nguhiht his nugust naiv . o , ; no one erica out agahmt Inn being false to hia geniua ; no one robukeahim for lmvuig painted ao little at one period . [ The " Last Hupt-er" speaks for him . Will not ia . **» , Iphiffania , Hermann , und Dorothea , Faust , Meixtcr , and the long list of Goethe * work « , apeak I have dwolt mainly on the dissipation of his time , becauao tho notion that a court Ufa aUt'clod ]> i » gi'niua by " corrupting his mind" is preposterous . No reader ot this biography , it is to bo hoped , will fail to net ) tho true relations iu which he Blood to tno duko ; h " ow ficMi they wero from anything liko servility , or suppr < ' » bion oi gonuino i . npnl .-o . ImlKcd one of the complaints nguiiwL him , according to tho iinexci-ptioiiuuw authority of J { i « iner , vrn » that made by the subalterns , " of his not being s "'" ' ^' " ^ nllunllvo to court etiquette . " To m . y , uh Niebuhr say * , tl , at tho " court wbb JJuliluh to whkli ho aaurillc-ud lih . look V \* profoundly to niUmitlu rHUuui " « fa ' profoundly to inimcud hia life . Had lib geniua been of that «!« " ! ' / ^ »» ™ produces groat . Ilcfo . inera and great Murlyra , —had It been Jiw " ! ^ "J ,,, ! ,,, to l « y mankind by w ord * which , n ; i-crbcmtiiiK to their inmoM . ncc-sc ^ u , litnUs , 1 J ) On down their livtH In iho Borvico of an idcu , —lwul it been hi * " , ul' ^|( n ., ; , aeiitutivo Ihu fur-off UcBlinioa of man , and away muii by the co « rc « i » '' . " fe niol | 4 . throng , abutrnctloiiH—llien , indeed , w « might nay liio pliico wia "'« " " ,, ' ,,, al ) , f , m , « ic on / . ml vot in miilhiK down the hWiftl . vfl .. winw *!•••¦« ' » ' " > «''" il ] li £ vi , ; a poet , vliOHO Iho bank * . Hut hu wum not i \ Itcformcr , not . a JUaryr .
Untitled Article
K < y ^ S , 1 S 551 THE LSADEH , 1059
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 3, 1855, page 1059, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2113/page/15/
-