New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-15
LETTER From TBACKERAY ABOUT
GOE TIE.

From Icrcs's LIFE f Go,,hs, 70 be Published in 9
few days by Ticl ncr Fields OF Boston the follow
irg letter Iy rhsck.rsy is extracted, describing has
membranes Of the great German pot:
"LoNpoN. April ss isJs.
"DTAR LFwEs. WHh had more TO tel you 70
sHcn Weinar ole Goethe. Five snd-twonty years
SO a. leest q score Of young Ergt'h lads used 70
hive AZ Neimc for study or sport, or societS-al o.
len were to be- rad IN the friendly little Saxon
csIitsl. Tie GRAD Duke and Duchess received us
vi the kirchtft to-yifGi.s. TIE court epies-
c d. bnt yet moet plesssbt and homey. We were
il vi'to IN our turns 90 ounerr balls arc noles
there. such yout MN ~ h4a a right az cared IN
NJ OrUs, dipon snc end murray. some, remem-
Der, DNtntd Gorgeous clothing; Tie Mud cid bob
rlsrsctsE Of thoss days NJ. uo : esel lsho had two
If th, moot 'cSelN daush'eIs eyes ever looked on
benz in 10 wise dicnG 70 the aomifsion Of these
y,urg EI al Gefs. On the Winter lie BITS 10 ussd 10
charter sscen cl sfs in Nb We Wtrecauied through
he STOW TO 'bCFc lesseu' CO art a. tertainmens.
for my pert ha0 the 1000 luck 10 purchase Scblers
svoIc which formed part of my court eos'ane, and
eth btres IN ny study, and puts ne IN mind Of days
Of Youth the nj II kn oily and delighIlnl.
1--WE hIew The yhoe socls'y OF the little city, ard
but that q young ladies' ana all spoke adnra-
Die Eus sL We surely might have learned the very
best G. III an. The society met constantly. The la lies
OF q court hsd lbtlr evenings Tie thesler was open
twice or ihr &c in the Wetb, where we assemblies,
lsree family party. Goethe had retired from the
duecrior bet great iTanI ions remained snll. The
tltater VAS sor iraby conducted; and beside the
etllent Wiemar company famous actors and singers
from various parts OF Germany perfor mel Gdstrvties
through he Winter In that Winter | remember wc
had LuCwig DeIrient In Shylock, Hamlet Fsistan
Apo the Robbers and the beautiful Schroeder IN
Fideiio
AFTER three ard twenty years absence, passed Q
couple OF Summer days in the aforementioned place.
and wss Fortunate enough TO 6pd OF the friends
of 10y youth. Madame De Goethe was there, and re-
ceveC NE aDd my daukh hers with the kindness OF OLD
dsys We drank tea ID tie open air at the famous
cottage 10 the paIb, which sti belongs 10 the iamliy.
and Rad been so often Inhabited by her llustrios
father. -
"Tn 1891, though he Tad retired from the world,
Goethe would, Nevertheless, very kindly receive
sIrBs gers. Hir dsug heI law tea-tabe was always
sItao Tor us. We passed hour after hours there, aud
light after night wih the ,easan'est talk and music
we rtaa over eDoess poems In Ere Dch, English and
G.rusn. My delight III those days wss TO make oars-
cetmes for Children. was touched TO hnd that they
were rememb. red ana some even kept un II the pres
ent time and very proud 10 be told a. lad that the
greet Goethe had looked at some OF them.
He remained in his private apartments, where only
few privileged persons were ADMITTED; but he liked
to krow oil iha was hoppeDing and Interested him
sell about all strangers. Whenever countenanos
struck bic ftncy ere wss an artist settled In Welmar
| WHO MADE trait oft Goethe had quite gallery
Of beads in black and whits taken by this painter.
His house was all pictures, drawings casts sta.
| ues and medals.
"Of course remep Der very well the perturbation
of spirit with which, ~ lad of nineteen, received
ilP oDg.eXlrcttI lleir tfeneiu-
rnth would see me OF such morning. This notable
auditI ce took ace in liz 10 ante chamber Of his
private apartments, covered all round win antique
cast. arn bss-rtie's He babtd in a long gray
or dab redn, o., with white neckclOth ard a rcd
ribbon IL is button ole. He kept his hands bei lad
his back Just Of ia Rsuchs sta'u,te. His complex
ion YVES very bright, Gle and rosy His eyes extrs-
ordinarily dark, pieIclTg and brilliant. felt quits
afraid before Them and rec0lect comparing them "
the eyes of the hero of certain called Mel
moth Tie WaHdertr, which useo to alarm boys thir-
" years ago; eyes Of an individual who had made
bsTpeD with certain person, sDc at an extreme old
ege retained these eyes in all their awful splendor I
fancy Goethe must have been still more handso ne as
Cd old nan than even in the days Of his youth. His
voice was very rich ard sweet. He asked me quee-
iior about myself, which answered rs best cOuid.
Ire.oIect was at first astohisted, ard then soms-
what relieved, when found he spoke French with
not q good accent.
"Vid, fantum. ! say him but three times. Ones
wskiIg ia the garden 81 his house In the Franenpotz
going TO sep into bis chariot suDshiDy day,
wearing q cap ard cloak with a red collar. He was
caressDg at The time beautiful little solden-haired
granddaughter over whose sweet, fair face the earth
has loDg ri CO closed. too.
"Auy Of us who bad books or magazines from En-
gland rent them 10 him. and he examined them eager
ly. Fr0-r's MagoziHe had lately come out, and
remember be WAS interested in those admirable out
lie portraits wbich appeared for while in its pages.
Bot there was one, very ghastly caricaure Of Mr..
r, which, as NJ, dame de Goethe told me, he shut
up md pa, away from bin aDgdly. They would
can fancy nothing more serene majestic and healthy
looking than the grand old Goethe.
Though bis sun setting, the sky round about
was calm aud brs b., and that little Wemsr illumined
by IT, In every of those kind salons the talk Wa
still of art and letters. hetheater though possessing
very extraordinary actors, was still conducted with
noble intelligence ano order The actors read books,
Al were men Of letters and gentlemen, hodiag not
unhinoIy relationship with the Ada. Al court the
VIBRATION was exceedingly friendly, simple and pol
isbed. The grand duchess the present grand
ouchess dowaeer), a lady of very remarkable
endovmep:s, would kindly borrow books
from u.s. lebd Us her own, and grsciously talk TO
Us youIg men about our literary tastes and pur-
sps In the respect paid by this court to the pa'r-
arch Of letters there ethiog enDobing think
alike to the suhj' and sovereign. With fve-and-
twenty years experience since those happy days Of
which / write, and an acquaintance with an imnense
variety Of human kind, thinE have never seen
society more simple charitable, courteous. gen
tlemablise .hsn that Of the dear little Saxon city
wbsre the good Schiller and the grea. Goethe lived
ard lie buried. Very sincerely your,