"Lucinde overwhelmed her sister with a thou- case in his youth, at all events, is not sursand reproaches. His is not the first heart,' prising. If, to his great personal beauty (of she said, which was inclining toward me, of which the testimony of his friends, and the which you have robbed me. Was it not the

·

same with your absent lover, who at last be- portrait which remains of him, leave no trothed himself with you under my very eyes? doubt), we add easy and affable manners, I was forced to look on and see it quietly. I supwhich enabled him, in conversation, at all ported it; but I know how many thousand tears times to avail himself of his transcendent it has cost me. And now you must take this talents-good birth-and, for his country at one from me also, and that without letting the all events, very considerable wealth, we other go. How many do you intend to have at a have altogether an aggregation of charms, time? I am open and good-natured, and there- to which the hearts of few women were fore every one thinks that he can know me in a likely to remain indifferent. We shall premoment, and on that account is entitled to neg lect me; you are sly and quiet, and people think sently have to deplore that his conduct was that something very wonderful must lie hidden not always worthy of the advantages which within you. But there is nothing within you but he thus possessed, and that he was too often a cold, selfish heart, which can offer everything forgetful of the duties of self-government and up to its own gratification. This, however, no self-denial, which in a well regulated mind one discovers, because it lies deeply hidden in ought ever to be associated with the conyour bosom, and is as little recognised as my sciousness of

my face.

power.

warm true heart, which I display as openly as During his residence at Strasbourg, Goe"Emilie was silent, and seated herself beside the made the acquaintance of Herder, and her sister, who became more and more violent in spent much time in his society, particularly her language, and even expatiated upon subjects during a long and painful illness, when he with which it was not at all necessary I should seems to have been his almost coustant be acquainted. Emilie, on the contrary, who attendant. Herder was five years Goethe's tried all she could to pacify her, made me a sign senior, and possessed as he was of inexfrom behind that I should make my escape; but haustible information upon almost every as jealousy and suspicion see with a thousand conceivable subject, and of the purest and eyes, Lucinde remarked it in a moment. She

sprang up and advanced towards me, but not vio- most discerning taste, his converse seems to lently. She stood before me, and seemed to re- have exerted a very powerful influence upon flect, then she said, 'I know that I have lost you; the mental development of his youthful I make no further claim on your affection. But friend. Amongst other hitherto-unexplored neither shall you have him, sister! With these regions into which he was the means of words she laid hold of me by the head, fastened guiding him, one was the literature of Engboth her hands in my hair, and kissed me again land, then just beginning to exert an influand again on the mouth. Now,' she said, beware of my curse. Whoever shall kiss these ence upon the progression party of the Goethe's English lips for the first time after me, may misfortune literati of Germany. upon misfortune follow her for ever and ever! Now, tamper with him again, if you dare: Heaven, I know will hear me this time! And you, sir-run, run as fast as you can.'

"I rushed down the stair with the firm deter

mination never more to enter the house."

reading, like that of most foreigners, began with the Vicar of Wakefield-a book indeed, which, on the continent, seems now to be set apart as the acknowledged-stepping stone to English; and the bare mention of which will, we doubt not, recall to some of our We may search long before we find a readers scenes of mutual instruction, not more perfect specimen of the thorough very dissimilar to that which Byron describes French "scène " than that with which this as taking place between Juan and Haidéelittle anecdote presents us. It is interesting, Where both the teacher and the taught were too, as showing the wonderful attraction which Goethe must have had for women at

แ

young."

this period of his life, an advantage, in- Goethe has pronounced an eloquent eulogium deed, which, like most of those which he upon this happy little romance, which seems possessed, he retained even in old age-as to have continued a favorite with him to the witness the passion of the enthusiastic Bet- end of his days-its charms being probably tina. Judging indeed from the number of his not a little enhanced by its association with conquests, and the sincerity which appears the scenes to which we are presently to to have characterized them on the side of introduce our readers. the ladies, he might well have shared with Louis XV. the enviable title of "le bienaimé." That such should have been the

Herder, he tells us, regarded it with the eyes of a critic, whilst he "felt it as a man or rather as a youth, to whom all was

ready done. Her father assured them that he had

living, true, and present." In order, how-had still quite a youthful air. The eldest daughter ever, still further to realize the scenes with came springing into the room after her, and which in description he had been so much asked after Friederike, as the two others had aldelighted, Goethe procured, through one of his fellow-students, an introduction to the not seen her since they all three had gone out tofamily of the pastor of Sesenheim, a little seek for her sister; the mother brought us some gether. The daughter went to the door again to village in Alsace, about six German miles refreshments; and Weyland (Goethe's friend) from Strasbourg. The circumstances and entered into a conversation with the spouses, whole position of this worthy Vicar, for such with reference to the circumstances of their comin his own country he was, seem wonder-mon acquaintances, as is usually the case when fully to have resembled those of him of friends meet after a long parting. I listened, and Wakefield; and Goethe tells us that the which I had thus been introduced. learned what I had to expect from the circle into attractions which his house was represented to him as holding out, beyond boundless into the room, and seemed uneasy at not having "The eldest daughter came back again hastily hospitality, were a sensible wife and two found her sister. They were all concerned very interesting daughters. On the occa- about her, and talked of this and the other bad sion of his first visit, Goethe dressed him- habit which she had-with the exception of her self in a sort of disguise, in order to see father, who said, quite quietly,-let her alone, what effect his presence would produce time comes! At this very moment she came in children--she will come back when her own when personating the character of a poor at the door-and then sure enough a most lovely student of Theology. This, and the shame star arose over the horizon of this rustic heaven. which he afterwards felt at playing so Both daughters were dressed in the German awkward a part in the presence of the young fashion, as it was then called, and this almost exladies, and which induced him to borrow the ploded national costome sat with particular grace clothes of the son of an innkeeper in the on Friederike. A little short white frock with a village, gave rise to some curious adven- flounce, just short enough to show her pretty littures, with which, though droll enough in the feet and ankles, a little white bodice, and a themselves, we shall not at present trouble black satin apron-thus she stood halfway beour readers. The description of the scene Slender and light-she moved as if her clothes tween a peasant girl and a daughter of the city. of these exploits, however, as indicative of were no weight to her, and her delicate neck the character of the inhabitants, is not unim- seemed almost too slender for the profusion of portant. "The house," he says, "had fair locks which adorned her well-formed head. about it exactly that which we call pic- She glanced brightly around with her clear blue turesque, and which always so much eyes, and her nice little nose, slightly retroussé, charmed me in Dutch pictures. The inseemed to breathe the air as freely as if there fluence which time exercises on all the Her straw hat hung from her arm, and thus I had been no such thing as sorrow in the world. works of man was here very apparent. The had the happiness, at the first glance, to see her house, and sheds, and stables, had all of in all her grace and all her loveliness." them arrived exactly at that point in the Goethe, as may be supposed after this process of decay, at which one wavers be- description, was not slow in opening the tween repairing and building anew, and trenches, and laying siege, with all his omits the one without adopting the other." might, to the heart of this charming little The former, however, was the desire of its personage, and in this his conduct is perpossessor-a somewhat weak old man, into haps not greatly to be censured, or if it be, whose good graces Goethe very soon suc- there are probably not a great many men ceeded in insinuating himself, by furnishing who would be entitled to sit upon the jury him with innumerable suggestions for the which should condemn him. accomplishment of this, his favorite project. The desire to obtain the esteem and even During their first conversation on this fruit- the affection of a beautiful woman, is with ful subject, Goethe's friend had gone in most men, in the first instance, an involunsearch of the other members of the family. tary and almost invincible impulse, nor is it At last he returned, accompanied by the blamable, except when indulged in such mother, whom Goethe describes as a very circumstances, or to such a height as to endifferent person from her husband. danger the happiness of the beloved object. "Her features were regular, with an expres-influences, which time and reflection must It is in failing to exercise those restraining sion of great good sense. In her youth she

have been extremely good looking. Her figure bring to the aid of every man of good sense was tall and thin, but not more so than was suita- and good feeling, that culpability alone ble for her years, and when seen from behind she exists.

During supper the resemblance to the tions regarding Friederike, "Was she in Wakefield family impressed itself more and love, or had she been? or was she a bride ?" more upon Goethe, till at last the appearance And on the morrow follow a number of comiof a younger son, who sprang into the room, cal scenes, arising out of the gradual disand without almost noticing the guests, took covery by the different members of the famihis seat at table, and made a vigorous at-ly, of the false colors under which, till then, tack upon the viands, almost forced him to he had sailed. A declaration of mutual afexclaim, "and are you there also, Master fection takes place between him and FriedeMoses ?" rike, in a scene which is rendered delightful Friederike was Goethe's companion at ta- by the air of simple rustic life and of sinble, and their mutual frankness soon made cere youthful passion with which he has conthem friends. When supper was ended, his trived to invest it. In the evening the little friend proposed a walk in the moonlight:- party retired to a shady bower, where Goethe "He offered his arm to the elder, I to the gave them a specimen of his inventive powyounger sister, and thus we wandered over the ers, by extemporizing a little tale, with broad meadows, contemplating rather the hea- which, he tells us, his audience was enchantven above us, than the earth which stretched ed, and he himself was so well pleased, that itself out around us in a boundless plain. There he afterwards committed it to paper, and pubwas no moon-struck madness, however, about lished it, under the title of " Die neue MeluFriederike's conversation. The clearness with sine." He seems indeed to have possessed which she expressed herself, converted night into in an eminent degree the talents of an "imday; and there was nothing in what she said provisatore ;" and when Dr. Gall, the phrewhich either indicated, or necessarily awakened nologist, examined his head, he informs us, sentimentality except that her remarks had reference to me more than formerly. She acquaint- that he pronounced him to have been ined me with what it was desirable I should know, tended by nature for a popular orator. "A with reference to her own position-the country revelation," says Goethe," which filled me in which she lived, and her acquaintances, and with no small consternation, since, had it added a hope that I would make no exception to been true, the efforts of my whole life must the many strangers, who, having once visited have been, and continued to be, a struggling them, gladly did so again. against nature, seeing that there is no oppor"It gave me no small pleasure to listen to the picture which she thus drew of the little world tunity for oratorical displays in Germany." in which she moved, and of the persons whom On Goethe's return to Strasbourg, he found she most esteemed. By this means, she gave the study of the Law still less enticing than me a clear, and at the same time, an amiable it had formerly been, and even the medical view of her own position, which had a singular lectures which he had attended for his amuseinfluence upon me, for I was seized at once with ment, had lost much of their charm. Some a feeling of regret, that it had not sooner been necessary preparations for passing his exmy fate to live by her side, and at the same amination, were accordingly despatched as time with jealousy and suspicion, towards all quickly as possible, and Sesenheim again those who had formerly had the happiness to

surround her. I listened with the most jealous found him a guest, wandering by the side of attention, as if I had already had a right to do the beloved Friederike. Our space prohiso, to all the descriptions which she gave of bits us from attempting to place before our men; it mattered not under what denomination readers more of these sunny scenes than are they came, whether they were neighbors, or necessary in order to put them in possession cousins, or god-fathers, and I laid my suspi- of the character of this fair saint, to whose cions now upon the one, now upon the other, shrine the worshippers of Goethe have since though, considering my perfect ignorance of the thought proper to direct their pious steps. relative position of the parties, it was impossible that I could discover anything of the real Those who are curious on the subject will state of matters. She became more and more find ample opportunity of gratifying their talkative, I more and more silent. It was so wishes for further information in the "Pilpleasant to listen to her, and now that I could grimage of Sesenheim," published so lately perceive nothing about her but her voice-her as 1840, and edited by no less a personage features being hidden by the darkness which than Varnhagen von Ense. Most persons, covered the rest of the world, it seemed to me however, will probably find a greater charm as if I saw into her very heart, a heart which in Goethe's own simple descriptions; and could not be other than pure, since she could thus open it before me, with so little constraint." to those who are not already acquainted with them, we confidently recommend them as

One

The night was spent in interrupting the their next "after dinner reading." sleep of his friend, with all possible ques-passage, in which the whole being of Frie

derike is laid open with peculiar felicity, we in order to enjoy the society of their city shall transcribe before parting :connexions, who, as he himself informs us, "The friendly greetings of the peasants were of a good position and in easy circumwhich were chiefly directed to her, showed that stances, than he felt something which, notthey regarded her as a beneficent being, in whose withstanding the circumlocution with which presence they felt at ease. In the house the he has confessed it, was neither more nor elder sister was her mother's chief assistant, less than shame for the awkwardness of nothing that required much bodily exertion be- their manners, and the homeliness of their ing required of Friederike, whom they spared, attire! The mother, who had been probathey said, in consequence of the weakness of her chest. bly brought up in town, and had seen good "There are some females who please us more society in early life, behaved herself, he in a room, others who appear to best advantage tells us, like other ladies, but the eldest was in the open air Friederike belonged to the lat- like a fish out of the water, and even Frieter class. Her figure, her whole nature, never derike, with her poor little old-fashioned appeared so enchanting as when she was trip- German dress, was not suitable for her new ping lightly along some elevated foot-path. The position.

disagreeable impressions.

grace of her gait seemed to rival the flowery Though on one occasion he read the whole earth on which she trod, and the unclouded serenity of her lovely countenance to contend play of Hamlet aloud to a large audience in with the clear blue of the heaven. The joyous order to please her (or perhaps to gratify his and exhilarating ether which thus continually own vanity), he had not the manliness to set surrounded her, she contrived to bring with her himself so far above the silly conventionalieven into the house, and well did she understand ties with which he was surrounded, as sinhow to arrange little misunderstandings, and by cerely to enjoy her society, and at last he the gaiety of her manner lightly to remove all fairly confesses that when the family left "The purest pleasure which one can find in Strasbourg, he felt as if a stone were taken the person of a beloved object is in seeing that off his heart. All that we afterwards hear she is equally the delight of others. Friede- of Friederike, is that he likens his passion rike's conduct always exercised a beneficent in- for her to a bomb, which mounting gradually fluence on the society in which she moved. On into the air, seems to mingle with the stars, our walks she glided hither and thither an enlivening spirit-filling up gaps wherever they showed themselves. We have already extolled the lightness of her motions, and indeed in no position was she so charming as when she ran. and havoc around it. There was no fault As a roe seems to fulfil the intentions of nature when it bounds lightly over the shooting corn, on her side; for he says, that she remained so her whole being seemed to find its perfect ever the same, nor thought, nor wished to expression, when lightly skimming over heath think, that their intercourse was to come to and meadow, she ran to fetch something which so speedy an end. He, however, had deterhad been forgotten, to seek something that had mined that it should be so. He had gained been lost, to call in a distant pair, or to arrange from it all that he wished, which was mosomething necessary for the common enjoy

and even for a while to remain among them; but afterwards describing the conto the earth, where it spreads destruction verse of its upward course, descends again

ment. In these exercises she never got out of mentary, gratification, and experience of breath in the smallest degree, and preserved her life; and although he makes a farce of havbalance with the utmost grace, a circumstance ing been for some time heart-broken at the which showed that there was no great cause for inevitable parting, his conduct leaves little the anxiety which her parents had about her doubt, that he folded up within the recesses chest." of his own selfish heart, every recollection

One can scarcely imagine any situation connected with her, with pretty much the in which such a being as this could have same composure with which he may have been other than the pride and the joy of him stitched together the notes which he had whom she loved, and the sacrifice of any taken at one of his favorite medical lecfancied advantage in social position would tures.

have been, one would think, nothing more True, he had done her no injury of which than what a lover would have rejoiced in the law could take account, or on which being able to lay at her feet. What, then, even the rules of society could pronounce will our readers think of the sincerity of their ban, and he does not seem to have done, Goethe's feelings, or of the goodness of even what he did on a future occasion, viz. heart of which he often boasts, when they to have broken a promise of marriage; and hear that no sooner did this little rustic the calculating man of the world may think family make its appearance in Strasbourg, that he only availed himself of the opportu

ness in the matter.

he

nity for retraction, which always remains could predict what each would say, and how open before the final conclusion of every he would bear himself. Old Gotz himself, bargain. Those, however, who regard such ever upright and honorable-with no wonmatters from a higher point of view, will derful share of acuteness, but at the same not probably be disposed to pronounce upon time no fool in worldly matters-overbearhim so lenient a sentence. He had excited ing but not selfish-bold, and even ferocious and long continued to cherish and foster, by when thwarted, but kind and tenderly affecevery means in his power, hopes which he tionate to his family and his friends, is the never intended to gratify, and from gratify- very model of a good knight of the olden ing which he was hindered by nothing but time. We stop not to inquire whether the his own selfishness, and his own weakness. character is consistent with that which has The excuse that he was a minor, and that it been handed down by authentic history. was at the worst only a piece of youthful Whatever he may have done on other occafolly and rashness, is a justification which sions, Goethe has here nowise overstepped we can see no grounds for admitting. For the legitimate license of the dramatist in our own part, we see neither folly nor rash-raising the character of his hero. He has If he was not already neither distorted nor misrepresented—he has of age, and there is reason to believe that simply elevated. We are willing to accept was, he was at least thoroughly responsi- the character as he has given it; and most ble for what he did he was standing on the of us, probably, when we think of the very threshold of a profession which by his Knight of the Iron Hand, will think of him great talents (of which he was perfectly rather as the Gotz of the drama, than as the conscious), and the influence of his friends, not very consistent leader of the peasant could at once have been rendered a lucra- war, whose faults and failings modern writtive one; and besides, he was the son of a ers of history have been at no pains to bring wealthy and dotingly affectionate father, who into view. Then there is his noble wifenever would have ultimately thwarted him the bold, true-hearted, simple, but dignified in any reasonable wish. We cannot ima- German matron, of whom her husband says, gine circumstances more favorable for the that "God gives such wives as her to those contraction of a lasting and honorable con- whom he loves." Then there is Georgenexion, and we can scarcely regard the mis-"the golden boy," the joyous and lightfortunes which waited upon all his future hearted aspirant to chivalry, whom old Gotz endeavors after matrimonial bliss, in any loved as a part of himself, and who is indeed other light than as a just retribution for his the very perfection of boys. With the eleconduct on this occasion. With these ob-gant and tender-hearted Weislingen we are servations we shall dismiss the man with his compelled to sympathize, notwithstanding deeds, and turn our attention to the monu- his faithfulness and his many faults, for ments which the artist has raised over the these are the result more of his accidental ashes of poor Friederike's love.* position than of his vices. On him, as on

Amongst the dramatic compositions of Hamlet, has been laid a burden too great for Goethe, we confess that the bold and irregu- him to bear, and we cannot help wishing lar play of Gotz von Berlichingen has ever that his temptations had been more proporheld a prominent place in our affections. tioned to his powers of resistance. AdelThe life-like reality with which the scenes heid has the horrible basilisk-charm of a feof that rude and sturdy time are placed be- male Iago; but of all the best beloved is the fore our eyes, reminds us at every page of gentle sister of Gotz-the tender, womanly, the writings of our own Shakspeare. The Maria von Berlichingen. We know of no Boar's Head tavern in East Cheap is scarcely character, even in the writings of Shakmore familiar to us than Gotz's Castle of speare himself, more perfectly feminine and Iaxthausen, or the palace of the Bishop of delicate, and at the same time more thoroughBamberg. We mingle familiarly in the ly free from every approach to over-refinepicturesque throng which crowds their ment. She is, in our opinion, beyond all courts and halls, and every face is the face question, the best specimen of a gentlewoof an old acquaintance. So intimate, in- man to be met with in Goethe's writings, and deed, is our knowledge of their individual she alone is sufficient to remove from him the peculiarities, that it seems to us as if we reproach of having been unable to comprehend that peculiar delicacy and purity of sentiment which, in our pride, we are sometimes tempted to claim as the exclusive

Those who are anxious to see a defence of

Goethe's conduct on this occasion, will find it in the "Pilgrimage to Sesenheim," above referred to.