New-York daily tribune., 1842-11-10
T HE r RIB II N E..
Goethe nr,a Politics.

Goethe nra Politics.
The last number of The Democratic Review
contains very fine translation by Hon. a. II.
EvEReTT of some spirited verses entitled The
Funeral Of GOETHE, FROM toe Getman OF HARRo
HaRRIsG. As the translator says, there il down
right straght forward, business air in the stanzas
which stamps sincerity upon them; bnt they are
most bitter in their condemnation Of the illusrious
Artist because be did not choose 10 make his great
poetic genius subservient TO the political rsgenera-
tion Of Germany, ard because he censpred the
atrocities of the French Revolution The writer
looks upon all gifts as bestowed by God cay tor
the purpose of eievaiing Mar in his political aho
social relations: that Poet should isVe MS hr'
for It's orn sake he deems treason to ruin ana 10
Right. HARRIsc, in closing, says
Therefore IS allgiited as thou snd MsT s
Thai rrorounce thee Iecreent at heart
False TO ibyseif, thy Country and my race"
Gorrgg heard much of this loud complaining
in bis own lifetime, and in his last days spoke o.
it tfxs:
a You KNOW said he to friend, q that I, gene
rally speaking, care little what's written about me;
but it comes to my ears, and know well that, III
the eyes Of certain people all my lifelong tolls and
labors are as nothing, merely because nave dis
dained TO mngle in party squabbes about politics.
To please such people, must have become a mem
Der Of Jacobn Club, preaching up bloodshed and
murder; but not word more upon this subject,
lest show myself unwise by railing against folly.
He thus spoke Of UHLAND's political course,
which has been so highly praised by men of HAIR
RINGS stamp:
1Watch we'll and you will see the politician
devour the poet. To be member of the Es-
tatcs, and live amid perpetual jos;lings AID ex-
ctements, is no, the life for poet. His song
will cease soon, end that is in some sort to be
lamented. Swabia has plenty OF men, sufficiently
well educated, well meaning, able, and fluent OF
tongue, to be members Of the Estates; but only
one poet of UHLANp's class
How noby he speaks, in the following passage
from Eckermann, Of the dignity of the poets call
ing, and of the necessity of keeping utterly aoo
from every thing that is low:
If poet would work politically, he must give
himself up to party; and so soon as he does that,
he is lost as poet; he must bid farewell TO his
freedom of spirit, bis unlimited prospect, ana
draw over his head the cap of bigory and blind
hatred. The poet may, as man and citizen,
love his native land but the native land of his
poetic energies and poetic action is the Good.
Noble and Beautiful, which is confined to NJ
province nor country, which he is 10 seize upon
and body forth whereter he finds it. Therein is
he like the Eagle, which hovers, with free gaze,
over all countries, and to which it is of conse
quence whether the hare, which he pounces
down, is running through Prussia through |
saxony. And what, then, is meant by love OF
ones country what is meant by patriotic deeds? |
If the poet has employed a life in battling viii
pernicious prejudces, in setting aside marrow |
views, in enghtening the in,eects, purifying the
tastes, cnnobling the feelings and thoughts Of hi.
countrymen, what better could he have done
how showed himself more truly patriot Th |
unsrateful and unsuitable demands made upon
poet are even if they demanded of the Captain
of Regiment to show himself a patriot by taking
part In political innovations which would oblige |
him to neglect his proper calling. The country OF
the Captain is his regiment, and he will show him
self good patriot by taking only his due part II
politics, and bestowing his whole mind, and al
his care, 50 to train and discipline the battalion
con6ded to him, that they may play the desired
part if their native land should be in peril