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

| mun'chteo 10 MS young companion his own aanli'
ration Of the poetry of the Old Testament From
the Hebrew bsrds, be led him to other mssters OF
national song Homer and Ossian were subjects
OF Q common idOlstry. Goethe was 90 charmed
with the wild beauties of the latter that be trans
lated the song Of Selma, and afterwrd incorpo-
rated it in Werther 1t was through Herder, slso,
that be became acquainted with Shakespeare, and
later English classics, especially the Vicar OF
Wakefield
We pass over fve important years Of Goethe :
life during which he produced Gotz von Berchin-
gen, Werther, and Clavigo. and come to his resi-
dence at Weimsr, circumstance which Mr..
Lewes kindly informs US twas TO confer on an in
significant Duchy the immortal renOwn of Ger
man Athens" He arrived at Weimar in the Autumn
Of 1775, at the age Of twentysix. This little city
s delightfully."- situated in the valley of the lin.
Without trade, manufactures, or commercial, po-
tical or even theological activity, its serene re-
tirements were singusrly adapted 10 the cultiva-
ton of literature and art. OF the material c0ndi-
ton of society at that time, Mr.. Lewes presents 8
picture BY no means attractive
Tne absence Of comfort and luxury luxury as dis
tDgushed from Ornament may be gathered from the
Memoirs Of the time and from such works as Butuchs
Mode Journal Such necessities az good locks, doors
that shut, drawers opening easily, tolerable knives,
carts Oh springs beds tit for Christian OF any other
than the German persuason, are still raTities III
Thuringia but in those days. when sewers were un-
dreamed of, and postoffce was chimera, all that
we moderns consider comfort was necessarily fabulous
The furniture even Of palaces was extremely simple
In the houses of wealthy bOurgeoise chairs anu tables
were Of common fir; not until the close OF the
eighteenth century did mahogany make its appear
ance Looking glasses followed. The chairs were
covered with coarse green cloth; the tables like
wise and carpets only now beginning to loom
upon the national mind as possible luxury; The
windows were hung with woolen curtains when the
extravagance OF curtains was ventured on. Easy
chairs unknown the only armchair allowed was
the so called Gr0Rdtdters Char, which was reserved
for the dignity of gray hairs or the eebleness OF age
The salon de reception, drawing-room, into which
greatly-hOnored visitors were shown had OF course
Kind of Sunday splendor, not dinmed by weekday
familiarity. There hung the curtains the walls were
adorned with family portraits or some WORK of e&-
tremely native talent" the tables auring the eye
with china in gusc Of cups, vases impossible shep
herds and very alegorical dogs. Into this room the
honOred visitor was ushered; and there, no matter
what the hour he was handed refreshment of some
kind. This custou-a compound product OF hospital,
ity and bad inns-ngered until lately in England, and
perhaps is still not unknown in provincial towns.
On eating and drinking was spent the surplus now
devoted to fnery. No then, except gentlemen of
the first water boasted Of a gold snuff box; even
pOld headed was an UNUSUAL elegance. ne
dSpdy contented himself with silver watch. The
fine lady blazoned herself with gold watch and
heavy chain; but il was an heirloom To see mod.
ern dinner-service glttering with silver, glass and
china and to think tba: even the nootyl those days
ate off pewter, is enough to make the lapse OF time
very vivid to us. silver teapot and tea-tray were
held as princely magnihcence.
The manners were rough and simple The journey.
men ate at the table with their masters, aud
oned in the jokes which then passed for hlar-
itv Fial obedience ngidly enforced, the stick or
strap not unfr queny aiding parental authority Even
the brothers exercised An almost paternal authority
oyer their sisters Indeed the position of women
was by no means such women can conceive
with patience not only were they kept under the pa;
terna marital and fraternsl yoke but society limited
their actions by its prejudces still more than II does
now No woman for instance, of the better class OF
citizens, could 20 out alone; the servant-gnl followed
her to church, to shop, or even to the promenade
Nor was the population of character to divert
poet from devotion to his art:
II is evident that in Weimar they led very suInp-
tuous hfe A small provincial town, overshadowed BY
Court, its modes OF hie were the ., t,ir
contrast The people, slow, heavy, ungracefui'
ignorant but good-natured, happy honest race, iee-
ing on black bread and suasages the stupides people
have ever lived among and perhaps the ughe,., nut
people of whom that is the u0rSt to be said Rlslng
higher We find the cultivated classes OF employees,
artists and professors and higher still, the aristocracy,
without the culture of the second class but with cu
ture Of it's own, not far removed from Vuigaflty Oh
small privileges and believing in the Court as CALVIN
lists believe in Grace.
Of the prominent persOnages who hg"re IN the
social environment of Goethe at this time, we have
several well.drawn sketches:
TIE DUCHESS AMALA.
Tho Dowaper Duchess Amaa is very interesting
Goure She had the brunswick blood with lts caprl,
ciousness love of pleasure and frivoty but she had
also mind well cultivated, not poorly gifted ana
ready in approaching men OF talent AthonSn hleee
of Frederick the Great she did not follow the prhcey
fashion of the day and turn her eyes away from er-
man literature to fix them only upon France. she
chose Wieand as the tutor OF her SON. and made him
her own dear friend. Schiller rash Judge Oh persons
and not very keen in his perception of wonans char
aCter wrote TO Korner, ser his hrst interview WIN
the Duchess: "She has made no conquest OF me.
| cannot like her physiognomy. Her intellect Is
extremely limited; nothing interests her but what
is based the sensuous: hence the taste sne ha.
or affects to have for music painting and the est
She is composer herself and has set Goethes Err'H
and Elm,re TO music. She speaks little; but has, at
any rate the merit OF throwing ASIDE az ihe stnness
of ceremony" Schiber's verdict cannot be accepted
nv any one who reflects that beside her appreciation
OF men of talent who found delight in her society she
learned Greek from Wieand, read Arlatophaues ana
translated Propertius, was musics composer,
toerable iudgc of art, discussed politics with the
Abbe Raynal, and Greek and Italian literature WIN
Villoson; that, moreover, with all her mutnarou,
reading and enjoymens, she eontiVed 10 supenntehu
the education Of her sons, and manage her kingdom
with unusual success. lhis l. bol uohe U! I'LL CA
trcmely limited intellect
The sensuous basis" alluded TO by Schiller was GER
tainly there. Oae ii in her portraits One sees
it aso in her joyous pea-ure-ovlng existence DOG
raphcrs and euogsts omit such details for IN general
the biographical mind moves only through pc;
riods of rhetoric, which may be applied with equal
felicity to every prince or princess of whom 1t y the
cue To sneak But j. by such details that the iaS
| NJ the Ducb4ss can alone be- made Gring one.
Here, for example, is sketch of her, given by an
ANONYMOUS traveller: She small in stature, good
looking, with very SP,rtaeAe phyaiosnonyi she mas
hs-ds and feet. a