New-York daily tribune., 1856-01-15

Hb,ch two such posts must have had in common; the
mention Of lees obvious Will sufhce tor our pres
ent purpose.
no luxury of leisure, mere amusement Ia charm the
idle OF relax the care-worn but mighty influence,
serious in its aims although pearuraoie IN lts means
G sister of Religion, ty whose aid the great wors'
scheme was wrought into reality. Ihis was WHO
them no mere sonorous phrase. They were thoroughly
in earnest. They believed that Culture would raise
Humanity 10 its full powers and they, as artists, knew
no cultur, equal To that of Art. II was probably
perception Of this belief which made Karl Grun say;
Go.the was the meet ideal idealist the earth has
ever borne; an astkctac ideaist. Ana hence the
origin of the widespread error that Goethe only
looked at life as an artist, e., sare1 only ,t lot
human nature inasmuch as it Afforded hun materials
for AIT: a point which VIII be more fully examined
hereafter.
The phases Of their development had been very sim
liar ard had brought them TO similar
They both began rebeliously; they both emerged
from Titanic lawlessness in emerging from youth TO
manhood. In Italy, the sight Of ancient masterpieces
aud the enjoyment of an exquisite climate, compeeI
Goethes metamorphoss Schiller had to work through
his in the gloomy North and under the constant pres
sure of anxiees He, TOO, pned for Italy, and thought
the climat. of Greece would make him poet But his
intense and historical mind found neither stimulus nor
enjoyment in plastic art Noble men ana nope uesHs %
were the food which uourished his great soul. His
roetic publication from moral ideals; whereas IN
Goethe the moral ideal came from the artistic. Plu.
tarch was his Bible. The ancient masterpieces OF
poetry came to him in this perod OF his development,
10 lead him gently bv the hand onward to the very
nort where Goethe stood. lie read the Greek TRACE
diaps f. wretched French transatons, and with such
aid aloriousy translated the IpfgcH,d OF Eurpides
Hcmer in Noss's faithful version became To him What
Homer long was TO Goethe. And how thoroughly be
threw himself into the ancient world may DC seen IN
hi. poem The Gods of Greece. Like Goethe, he had
found bis religious opinions gradually separating nm
more and more from the orthodox CHRISTIANS anu,
ike Goethe he had woven for himself system on ol
S,;rozo u apt and the (,rpclan sages.
Al the time then, that these two men seemed most
opposed TO each other, and rere opposed IN feehhg,
they were gradually drawing closer and closer III tts
very lines of their development, and hrm basis was
prepared for solid and enduring union. Goethe was
tya.and- forty, Schiller hve-and-thiry. Goethe had
much to give. which Schiller gratefully accepted; and
if he could not in return influence the developed mnd
of his great friend add 10 the vast stores OF us
knowledge and experience, he could give him that
which was even more valuable, 'ymPdNy ana tM-
pulse He excited Goethe 10 work. lie Withdrew
him from the engrossng pursuit OF science andrestoted
him once more poetry He urged him TO finish what
was already comme need and not toleave his works all
fragments Working together with the same purpose
and with the same earnestness this episode IL the most
glorious episode in the lives OF both, as an
eternal eYemplar of q noble friendship.
We will not attempt to track Mr.. Lewes through
his elaborate criticisms of Goethes writings, which
for the most part, we must own, betray familiar
acquaintance with their peculiarties, and often
throw light on the significance Of mysterious pas
sages. Our notice must be brought TO a close, but
not without one or two sketches Of the old age OF
Goethe, which to the last, presented beautiiulex'
ample of the life Of the artist:
GOETHE IN OLD AGE.
II Is evident then that there abundant life In the
old Jupiter whose frame still massive and erect
whose brow had scarcely wrinkle of old age whose
head was still as free from badness az ever and whose
large brown eyes had still that flashing splendor wich
distinguished them. Hufeland, the physician, who
had made a special study of the human organization
with reference TO It's powers OF vitality, says that never
did he meet with man IN whom bodily anu mental
organization were 30 perfect a. IN Goethe MOI ohy
was the prodigous strength OF vitality remarkable IN
him. but equally 70 the perfect balance OF functions
One can truly say that his distinguishing character
istic wac the harmony with which al mental faculties
worked together, that his creative Inauguration was
aways under the control of his Reason and the same
is true of his physical faculties. No function pre-
dominant all worked together for the continuance OF
marvellous balance. But productivity was the iunda-
mental character OF his bodily and mental organlza-
ton: and the omer showed itself IN rich nutritlye
power q rapid sangunihcation and reproduction. lie
made much blood even ar an old man." Not only
fe but the life of e-the power OF loylng-was stu
preserved 10 him. Qaisqats oma' natd .st coHdt-
i,0ue ssRfr saws old Pontanus; and the Marquis de
Lassy pretiy makes the loss of love-dreams sign OF
the last sleep: "Helas, quand on commence ne plus
rever, ou plutot rover mons, on est pres de SEN
dOrmir pour toiouTe." In the 7Hh year OF his age
Goethe had still youth enough 10 love. At Narlenbad
he met with Faraulen Won Lewezow. A passion
grew up between them which, returned on her side
with almost equal vehemence, brought back to him
once more the exaltatiOn Of the WERNER penod. II
was thought he would marry her and indeed he wished
To DO so but the represe nations of his friends, and
perhaps the fear Of ridicue, withheld him. lie tore
himself away; and the Maiienbad Eegy, which he
wrote in the carriage as II wblred him away, remains
token of the passion and hs sufenDg'
HIS LITERARY ACTIVITY.
His lost Secretary, Krauter, who never speaks OF
him but with idolatTy describes hs activity st
this advanced age as something prodigous IL was
moreover systematic. 4 certain time Of the day was
devoted TO his correspondence; then came the ar.
rangement of bis papers, or the completion OF
works long commenced One fine Spring morning,
Krauter tells me Goethe said TO him: Come, we
will cease dictat0n; 1t IL pity sucn nne weather
should not be enjoyed let us 60 INTO the Park and do
a bit OF work there" Kriuter took the necessary
books and papers, and followed his master, who,
in lis long blue overcoat, blue cap on bis head,
and his hands in the customary attitude behind MS
back marched on, upright and imposing. Ihose wno
remember Rauc's sstuette will picture 10 themselves
the figure Of the old in IL ordinary attitude but
they cannot picture to themselves the imposing effect
Of that Jupterhead which, this occasion, arrested
an old peasant and absorbed him. that leaning bis
hands uuon lis rake and resting his chm upon hi-
hands he gazed on the magnificent spectacle in for
petfulness 20 complete that he did move out OF the
way but stood gazing inmovable, while hrauter bad
10 step aside to pass.
II Is usually said, indeed, that Goethe showed no
signs of age; but this i- one of the exaggerations
which the axity of ordinary speech permits itself.
His intellect preserved wonderful clearuess and ac-
tiyitv az We know and indeed tho man who wrote
the essay on Cuvier and Geofroy's dbeussio9 and
who COMPLETED the Faus. in his e;ghty-second year,
nav fairly claim place among tie Nestors for whom
Some worl Of rob.e note,
Not uLbecou.ing men who stroye with god'.
But the boprapher j. bound TO record that n his in
,enect, az in fir body. the old man showed unmis'
takably that he was old. His hearing became no.
ticsbly impaired; BIZ memory Of recent occurrences
wes extremely treaeherous; yet his eyesgbt remained