Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-10-17
EVENING STAR
GERMAN CELEBRITIES

volume has just been issued by an ESin.
burgh house picturipg the everyday life Of
several distinguished German authors Here
is some about Jean Paul:
went at eight in the morning to Jean
raul A tall, strong, bony figure. like that of
farmer or forester, entered the room,
dressed in hunting coat, with badger 8
SKIN over his shoulder, and leading a white
poodle by string As we had long been cor.
respondents we were soon in full talk [ spent
two evenings with him, the first in his own
house, the second at that of Madame Won
kettenburgs. Not only was a court lady of
the name of Stein present on both occasions
but the newly married Count and Countess of
henckel Donnersmarck. The wish to appear
In the best light excited Jean Paul, and ac-
customed as he is only to be listened to, my
sudden interpretations interrupted him, and
the consequence was, tn It while he proved
himself worthy, truth-loving man, and al
thougb the conversation turned on the lead
Ing men and leading events in church and
state, lite and literature, did not hear him
utter one significant word, one deep view, one
result OF great inner experience his ccnver-
satlon was throughout wearisome and obscure
ne caves US the narrative of his daily life as
loliOWs In the summer at six in the winter
~ elght, L walk about half mile 10 Frau
Schabonzers ian old countrywoman \ the
poodle goes with me; L carry my papers and
bottle in my badger skin; there / work
and drink my wine till one o clock then / do
not drink again, but from FIVE to seven drink
my beer as long as there is any in the Jug
For half an hour Jean Paul put us TO
sleep with receipts for sleeping None of the
lightning flashes and scintillatons Of fancy
the striking slmiies, or the glowing pictures
with which his works abound, appeared in
his generation. L left him, convinced that
me man who, as an author, belongs TO the
Ip rpS and r,.ha l., ~
therefore necessarily tender and soft hearted
After Jean Paul, | felt most interest about a
certain Councillor kraus In order to get at
him, applied TO Jean Paul, having heard
that they had been friends for years We
are Old friends, it is true, said be. but now
we no longer meet But 60 TO him, and say
that although l never will have any thing to
do with him myself, L have sent you 10 him
Accordingly L went 1 had to 20 ND a steel
stair, at the top Of which was a closed lattice
and outside hung long wooden hammer.
with an inscription above to this effect: lie
who Will enter must knock hard if the ham
mer is inside l not to be seen Sol
knocked hard, and the door was opened As
L entered large library-which swarmed
with cats of every age and eoIor-a friendly
old man, bachelor with silver hair, and in a
long dressing gown, advanced to meet me-
After L had playfGlly delivered Jean Paul's
message, we fell into conversation. Jean
Paul. said he, is a thoroughly upright feel
ing, good man, rich in heart and mind, but
| the blossoms Of his nature will never ripen
into fruit; because he has not strength, tho
roughly and scientifically, to master any sub
ject. He knows much, but all he knows is in
disorder and confusion, and now that mis- own
| mind can create nothing further, he has fallen
into all sorts Of folies -
We make room for the following sketch Of
Niebuhr.
lie was impressed by bis first meeting again
with Niebuhr. ATarm political quarrel had,
in 1914, separated the two old friends and
though it had long ago been made up by let
ter, yet they had not since met From Bonn
PeTthes wrote 10 Besser +" 1 was prepared
for painful meeting, and should not have
wondered at distant manner or formal bear
ms on Nlebuhrs part, but the very moment
saw him, L found the old heart and the old
friend, and there was not sb adow OF reserve
between US. His wife had just given birth TO
her second son, and the three elder children
were running about their fathers room, with
all their play things during our conversation,
was engaged first with one and then with the
other of them
For five days daily spent several hours
with him. Our conversation was almost en-.
tirely political Niebuhrs disposition is very
melancholy; the purer his heart, the deeper
lis sensbilSties, the more he feels the want of
some VAIN support for his soul he fights
with uncertainty and quarrels with his life
He said to me, am weary of life, only the
children bind NE to it. He repeatedly ex-
pressed the bitterest contempt for mankind
and, in short, the spiritual condition OF this
remarkable man cuts me TO the heart, and his
OutpOuripgs alternately elevated aid hOrrifed
me. To see such heart and mind in the
midst "f the convusiOns of our timc. gives I
deep insight into the machinery Of our POOR
human life. Niebuhr needs a friend who
would be match for him he has not one
such in the world The wealth Of his intel
lect and the extent Of his knowledge are ab-
sOlutely appalling; but his knowledge Of the
present is only the result OF historical inquiry
and political calumniatiOns he does nuI an
derstand individual or national life -