old fritz and the new era-第35部分

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〃A　streak　of　madness　in　you　all；　though　I　will　grant　that　it　is
divine。〃

〃Say　rather　that　Whit…Sunday　comes　to　us　every　day；　and　the　divine
Spirit　descends　daily　upon　us　poets；　and　causes　us　to　speak　in
unknown　tongues。〃

〃I　will　say　that　you　are　the　god　Apollo　descended　from　heaven；　and
with　gods　one　may　not　dare　to　dispute。　They　act　differently　in　their
sphere　than　we　mortals　upon　earth。　I　will　be　contented　if　our　ways
cross　from　time　to　time；　and　we　can　once　in　a　while　walk　on　together
a　good　piece　the　way　of　life　in　friendship　and　harmony。　If　it　would
please　my　Wolf；　I　propose　to　turn　toward　beloved　Weimar；　the　dear
place；　half　village；　half　city。　For　my　part　I　am　finished　here；　my
business　with　General　yon　Mollendorf　is　accomplished。　As　I　told　you
previously；　I　have　had　made　known　to　the　king　my　refusal　to　allow
recruiting　in　my　duchy。　I　could　not　consent　for　the　present。　In
short；　I　have　spoken　as　my　secretary　Wolfgang　Goethe　has
recorded。＇Footnote：　This　memorial　upon　recruiting　is　found。
〃Correspondence　of　the　Grand　Duke　Carl　August　and　Goethe；〃　part；　i。；
p。　4。＇　General　Mollendorf　has　waived　his　demand　for　the　presentand
to…day　we　have　had　the　concluding　conference；　and　if　it　is　agreeable
to　my　secretary；　we　might　set　off　this　afternoon　and　pass　a　day　at
Dessau；　and　then　on　to　Weimar。〃

〃Oh；　gladly　will　I　do　it；　it　seems　as　if　a　star　from　heaven　had
twinkled　to　me　to　follow　it；　for　at　Weimar　is　centred　all　my
happiness！　I　prefer　a　lowly　cabin　there　to　all　the　splendor　and
palaces　of　a　city。〃

〃Then　you　agree　with　me；　that　this　magnificently　vile　Berlin　does
not　enchain　you　in　her　magic　net？〃

〃No；　she　holds　me　not；　though　it　has　been　pleasant　to　take　a　peep
into　it　（like　a　child　into　a　curiosity…box）。　I　have　seen　'Old
Fritz。'　His　character；　his　gold；　and　his　silver；　his　marbles；　his
apes　and　parrots；　and　even　his　town　curtains　please　me。　It　is
pleasant　to　be　at　the　seat　of　war　at　the　very　moment　that　it
threatens　to　break　forth。　It　has　gratified　me　to　witness　the
splendor　of　the　royal　city；　the　life；　order；　and　abundance；　that
would　be　nothing　if　thousands　of　men　were　not　ready　to　be
sacrificed；　the　medley　of　men；　carriages；　horses；　artillery；　and　all
the　arrangements。　All　are　mere　pins　in　the　great　clock…work；　only
puppets　whose　motion　is　received　from　the　great　cylinder；　Fredericus
Rex；　who　indicates　to　each　one　the　melody　they　must　play；　according
to　one　of　the　thousand　pins　in　the　rotary　beam。〃＇Footnote：　Goethe's
own　words。See　Goethe's　〃Correspondence　with　Frau　von　Stein；〃　part
i。；　p。　168。　Riemer；　〃Communications　about　Goethe；〃　part　ii。；　p。　60。＇

〃You　are　right　to　compare　the　great　man　to　the　chief　cylinder　in　the
machine　of　state；〃　nodded　the　duke　〃He　rules　and　sets　all　in　motion；
and　cares　not　whether　the　rabble　are　suited　or　not。　It　has　enraged
me　sometimes　to　hear　the　fellows　curse　him；　and　yet　I　acted　as　if　I
heard　them　not。　Let　us　return　to　Weimarmankind　seems　better　there；
Wolf。〃

〃At　any　rate；　more　regardful　of　us　than　they　are　here；　duke。　The
greater　the　world　the　uglier　the　farce；　no　obscenities　and　fooleries
of　the　buffoon　are　more　disgusting　than　the　characters　of　the　great；
mediocre　and　insignificant；　all　mingled　together。　I　prayed　this
morning　for　courage　to　hold　out　to　the　end；　and　to　hasten　the
consummation。　I　am　grateful　for　the　benefit　of　the　journeybut　I
pray　the　gods　not　to　conduct　themselves　toward　us　as　their　image…
man；　for　I　should　swear　to　them　eternal　hatred。〃＇Footnote：　Goethe's
own　words。See　Goethe's　〃Correspondence　with　Frau　von　Stein；〃　part
i。；　p。　169。＇

〃Then　you　are　ready　to　depart；　Wolf？〃

〃Almost；　dear　Carl；　or；　if　you　will　it；　quite　ready。　A　few　visits　I
would　make；　that　the　people　shall　not　be　too　severe　upon　me　and　cry
out　against　my　pride　and　arrogance。〃

〃Because　they　themselves　are　proud　and　supercilious；　they　are　bold
enough　to　suppose　Wolfgang　Goethe　is　like　them。　I　hope　you　will　not
visit　the　very　learned　Herr　Nicolai；　the　insipid　prosaist；　the
puffed…up　rationalist；　who　believes　that　his　knowledge　permits　him
to　penetrate　every　thing；　and　who　is　a　veritable　ass。〃

〃No；　I　am　not　going　to　Nicolai；　Rammler；　or　Engel；　or；　as　they
should　be　named；　the　wise　authors　of　Berlin。　I　shall　visit　the
artist　Chodowiecki；　good　Karschin；　occasional　poetess；　and　the
philosopher　Mendelssohn。　Then；　if　it　pleases　you；　we　will　set　out
this　afternoon；　shaking　the　sand　of　Berlin　from　our　feet。〃

〃I　shall　prepare　whilst　you　make　your　visits。　Will　you　take　my
carriage？　You　know　there　is　one　from　the　royal　stables　always　at　my
service；　which　stands　at　the　door。〃

〃Beware！　they　would　shriek　if　I　should　drive　to　their　doors　in　a
royal　carriage。　They　would　accuse　me　of　throwing　aside　the　poet；　and
being　only　secretary　of　legation。　I　will　go　on　foot；　it　amuses　me　to
push　my　way　through　the　crowd；　and　listen　to　the　Berlin　jargon。〃




CHAPTER　XVII。

GOETHE'S　VISITS。


Taking　leave　of　his　ducal　friend；　Goethe　betook　himself　the　street；
to　commence　his　visits。　Going　first　to　Chodowiecki；　the　renowned
delineator　and　engraver；　whose　fame　had　already　spread　throughout
Germany。　When　Goethe　entered；　the　artist　was　busy　in　his　atelier；
working　upon　the　figures　of　the　characters　in　the　〃Mimic；〃　the
latest　work　of　Professor　Engel。　〃Master；〃　said　he；　smilingly；
extending　him　his　hand；　〃I　have　come　to　thank　you　for　many
beautiful；　happy　hours　which　I　owe　to　you。　You　paint　with　the　chisel
and　poetize　with　the　brush。　An　artist　by　God's　grace。〃

〃If　the　poet　Goethe　says　that；　there　must　be　something　in　it；
〃replied　Chodowiecki；　with　a　radiant　face。　〃I　have　to　thank　you　for
the　most　beautiful　and　best　hours　of　my　life；　and　I　am　proud　and
delighted　to　have　been　able　in　the　least　to　return　the　pleasure。　The
only　blissful　tears　among　many　bitter　ones　that　I　have　wept；　were
shed　over　the　'Sorrows　of　Werther。'　'Gotz　von　Berlichingen'　so
inspired　me　that　he　appeared　to　me　in　my　dreams；　and　left　me　no
peace　until　I　rose　in　the　night　to　draw　Gotz；　as　he　sat　talking　with
brother　Martin　on　the　bench　in　the　forest。　Wait；　I　will　show　you　the
drawing；　you　must　see　it。〃

Goethe　examined　it　attentively；　and　expressed　his　pleasure　at　the
correctness　and　dramatical　conception　of　the　design；　and　did　not
remark；　or　perhaps　would　not；　that　the　artist　was　busily　occupied
with　crayon　and　paper。　〃How　wonderfully　you　have　reproduced　my
'German　Knight；'〃　cried　Goethe；　after　a　long　observation　of　it。　〃The
middle　ages　entire；　proud　and　full　of　strength；　are　mirrored　in　this
figure；　and　if　I　had　not　written　'Gotz　von　Berlichingen；'　I　would
have　been　inspired　to　it；　perhaps；　from　this　drawing。　Oh！　you
artists　are　to　be　envied。　We　need　many　thousand　words　to　express
what　a　few　lines　represent；　and　a　stroke　suffices　to　change　a
smiling　face　into　a　weeping　one。　How　feeble　is　language；　and　how
mighty　the　pencil！　I　wish　I　had　the　talent　to　be　a　painter！〃

〃And　I；〃　cried　Chodowiecki；　〃would　throw　all　my　pencils；　brushes；
and　chisels　to　the　devil；　or　sell　him　my　soul；　if　I　could　cope　with
the　genius　and　intellect　of　the　poet；　Wolfgang　Goethe。　What　a　man！
What　a　profile　the　gods　have　given　him！　There！　lookhave　you　ever
seen　a　man　with　such　a　face？〃　He　handed　Goethe　the　drawing；　which
proved　to　be　a　speaking　profile…portrait　of　himself；　dashed　off　with
a　few　strokes　full　of　genius。

Goethe　looked　at　it　with　the　air　of　a　critic。　〃It　is　true；〃　said　he；
perfectly　serious；　〃there　are　not　many　such　profiles；　but　I　am　not
of　your　opinion　that　the　gods　fashioned　it。　Those　sharp　features
look　as　if　the　joiner　had　cut　them　out　of　oak；　and　they　lead　me　to
infer　a　very　disagreeable　character。　I　naturally　do　not　know　who　the
picture　represents；　but　I　must　tell　you；　master；　that　this　man　could
never　please　me；　although　I　could　swear　it　is　a　speaking　likeness。
This　sharp；　bowed　nose　has　something　impudent；　self…sufficient　in
it。　The　brow　is　indeed　high；　which　betokens　thought；　but　the
retreating　lines　prove　that　the　thoughts　only　commence；　and　then
lose　themselves　in　a　maze。　The　mouth；　with　its　pouting　lips；　has　an
insupportable　expression　of　stupid　good…nature　and　sentimentality；
and　the　well…defined；　protruding　chin　might　belong　to　the　robber…
captain　Cartouche。　The　great　wide…open　eyes；　with　their　affected
passionate　glances；　prove　what　a　puffed…up　dandy　the　man　must　be；
who　perhaps　imagines　all　the　women　in　love　with　his　face。　No；　no；　I
am　still　of　the　opinion　that　the　original　could　never　please　me；　and
if　the　physiognomist　Lavater　should　see　it；　he　would　say：　'That　is
the　portrait　of　a　puffed…up；　quaint；　powerful　genius；　who　imagines
himself　something　important；　and　who　is　nothing！　The　likeness　of　a
bombastic　fellow；　with　an　empty　head　behind　the　pretentious　brow；
and　meaningless　phrases　on　the　thick　lips。'〃

〃If　Lavater　says　so；　he　is　a　fool　and　an　ass；〃　cried　Chodowiecki；
furiously；　〃and　he　can　hide　himself　in　the　remotest　corner　of　the
earth。　Lichtenberg　of　Gottingen　is　quite　right　when　he　says　that
this　empty…headed　Lavater　has　made　himself　ridiculous　throughout
Germany　with　his　wonderful　physiognomy　of　dogs'　tails　and　his
profiles　of　unknown　pigtails。　If　Lavater　is　really　so　narrow…minded
as　not　to　be　able　to　distinguish　a　crow　from　an　eagle；　it　is　his　own
affair；　but　he　shall　never　presume　to　look　at　this　portrait；　and
you；　too；　are　not　worthy；　you　scorner；　that　I　should　get　angry　with
you。　The　likeness　is　so　beautiful　that　Jupiter　himself　would　be
satisfied　to　have　it　imputed　to　him。　It　is　so　like；　that　you　need
not　pretend　you　do　not　know　that　it　represents　Wolfgang　Goethe。　As
you　insult　it；　and　regard　it　with　scorn　and　contempt；　I　will　destroy
it。〃

〃For　mercy's　sake　do　not　tear　it；〃　cried　Goethe；　springing　toward
Chodowiecki；　and　holding　him　fast　with　a　firm　grasp。　〃My　dear　good
man；　do　not　tear　it；　it　would　be　like　splitting　my　own　head。〃

〃Ah；　ah！〃　shouted　Chodowiecki。　〃you　acknowledge　the　likeness？〃

〃I　do　acknowledge　it；　with　joy。〃

〃And　will　you　admit　that　it　is　the　head　of　a　noble；　talented　poet；　a
favorite　of　the　Muses？　Say　yes；　or　I　will　tear　it；　and　you　will　have
terrible　pains　in　your　head　your　life　long！〃

〃Yes；　yes！　all　that　you　wish。　I　am　capable　of　saying　the　most