The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-03-15

never saw Mannheim again.
echo, blithesome melody,
The deserted forest through.
All how very easily
Human beings bid adieuW
The 18th of April, 1856, saw Schiller in
Leipsic and the week succeeding his arrival
he wrote to Schwan, asking his daughters
hand in marriage After describing his Jour
ney to Leipsic and his acquaintance there, he
thus proceeds: cit is my intention to be
very diligent here, to work at Carlos and the
'Thalia, and, what will probably please you
most, TO return by degrees to my medi-
cal studies. 1 long impatiently for this
epoch of my life, when my pros
poets shall be better established
and more definite, and when / shall be able
to follow my favorite inclination only for
amusement. Did / not formerly study medi-
cine con Gnaore, why should not do so the
more nowp This, my dear FRIEND might pos
sibly convince you as to the fixedness of my
purpose; but what will give you the most
complete guaranty, what must Danish every
doubt regarding my frmness, 1 have kept
from you until this moment. Now or never
must it be said. 1t is only my distance from
you that inspires me with courage
to avow this wish of my heart. Often
enough while the happiness was yet
mine of being near you, often enough did
the confession start to my lips; but again and
again did my courage fail me when on the
point of telling you all frankly. Your kind
ness, your sympathy, your excellent heart,
have caused me to cherish within my breast
a hope which can be justified only by your
indulgence and friendship. The free access
had to your house afforded me an oppor-
tunity to become thoroughly acquainted
with your amiable daughter, and the
generous and kind treatment of which
you both deemed me worthy has seduced
my heart into the bold wish to be accepted
as your son. Hitherto my prospects were
vague and dark, now they are beginning to
change for the better. Every fresh intel
lectual effort will bring me nearer the GER
tain goal. Judge for yourself whether 1
shall attain it when my ardor is quickened
by the qualification of my dearest wish.
cided. feel how much ask, and how
boldly and with what little right ask it.
1t is already year since this thought has
been occupying my soul; but my esteem
for you and your excellent daughter was
too great to permit me to give free play to
wish which then could be seconded by
nothing. 1 imposed upon myself the duty
of visiting your house less often, of seeking
distraction in distance; but my heart would
not be quieted by the shabby deception.
To the Duke of Weimar first unbosomed
and the declaration that he took an interest
in the happiness of others, confessed to
him that my felicity depended upon union
with your noble daughter, and L am sure
he will do his part when the question is to
complete my happiness by this alliance. 1
shall add nothing more than the assurance
that hundred others, perhaps, might offer
your daughter a more brilliant lot then 1
can at present promise her, but deny that
a heart can be found beating for her with
warmer love. Upon your decision, to which
look forward with impatience and anxious
expectation, it will depend whether 1 may
venture to address your daughter herself"
What was the issue of this suit? The
poets biographers pretty nearly concur in
remarking that ''Schwan, without even MAX
ing Schiller's proposal known to his daughter,
softened the bitterness of his refusal by say
ing that Margaret's disposition was not in
harmony with Schiller's" We have it in our
power to correct this statement What Ca
roline Won Wolzogen says in her ''Life of
Schiller q. 2O6), namely, ''that Schwan
openly expressed to the poet, whom he held
in great esteem, his doubts as to whether his
daughters peculiar nature fitted her to be
his companion, and that in so doing Schwan
acted only as friend" may, indeed, be
true; but at the bottom the matter was
letter of Schiller's, still in possession of the
Goetz family at Mannheim, we find the fol-
lowing remark in Schwan's own hand-''The
Laura in Schiller's Resignation is no one
else but my eldest daughter; gave her this
letter to read, and told Schiller to address
himself directly to her. Why nothing ever
grew out of the matter has remained mys-
terry to me.
Let us attempt to solve this mystery.
There are three things which must be kept
IN view. First, we originally notice in
Schiller Gas in many other men of genius) a
certain aversion to marriage, reluctance to
give up higher life of mind and feeling for
a finite passion. On being advised by the
composer Zumsteeg, who had Just been mar
ried, to follow his example, Schiller replied,
mo, let me bear my lot alone, in spite of the
hot blood coursing through nay veins. You
know that on this subject philosophize after
my own fashion"
But, in the second place, this high-soaring,
silent idealism comes ever in contact with
sober reality, so hostile to the ideal. Bache-
lor life, without order, without female care,
disgusted Schiller. ''Alone without guild
ance," he complains in letter to ReinWald,
81 struggle to manage my domestic concerns;
thousand petty troubles, cares, and pro-
jects, lowering necessarily before me. dis
tract my thoughts, dissipate all poetic dreams,
and clog the wings of enthusiasm" From
this state of mind springs longing for the
pleasures of a comfortable home, for which
even poetry, if necessary, is often given in
exchange. Hence we can understand these
words of Schiller written to his female friend
at Bauerbach (May 80, 17S3):-"Fhere was
time when the hope of immortal fame tickled
me, just as fine dress pleases woman. Now
it is all the same to me; shall send you my
poetic laurels for your next 69uf a la mode,
and LET Won have NV TRAGIC nuse for q kitchan