Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-02-01
Heom Appletons' Journal for January H.
FREDERICKA BRION, GOETHE's
FIRST LOVE.
FRANCES A. SHAW.

FRANCES A. SHAW
"Happy is he, says Schiller, s'whon
the gods love, even before his birth
whom, as child, Venus cradles in he
arms: whose eyes Phebus anoints
whose lips Hermes touches; upor
whose forehead Jove presses the seal o
power. An exhalted destiny shall b,
his, for, ere the beginning of the con
fict, his temples are wreathed will
bay" IS
Such favored one of Heaven seemed
Goethe, whom Germany recognizes al
her greatest genius, and to whom tn,
world might justify assign a plac,
among modern poets and dramatists
second only to that of Shakespeare.
The only son of rich banker anc
imperial counsellor, Johann Wolfgang
Won Goethe was born at Frankfort-on
the Main in the year 1749. To this, he
"Sunday child" her darling, Natur,
came laden with the choicest gifts
Beauty, wealth, genius, friends, station
all were his. Life was to be to hin
no Uia dolorosa, up which he must toll
bearing the cross of neglect and penury
The bitterness of feeling his best efforts
unappreciated, of seeing his bes
thoughts fall cold upon the public ear
were never his. Poverty, which eat
into the sensitive soul of genius like /
canker, and is sure to eadden, if it doe
not harden, he never knew The up
ward path was made smooth for him
while proud, loving friends stood by tt
old him oor ,ncf xr,rE tn ahnpl
him on to every high endeavor
Had he been less the grand, no
BILE genius he was, he might have
become the spoiled child of affluence
and adulation. But he had aims in
life higher than pleasure, broader thar
power, and he could not turn a deaf
ear to the voice within, urging him Oh
to grand and lofty things. Conscious
of his splendid gifts, he heartily and
exultantly set about his appointed
work
"Oh, his pride, his sacred pride ii
his beauty ~ writes "the Child" Bet
tina Won Arnim; and the outward cas-
ket was indeed worthy of the princely
soul it enshrined The form, above
the medium height, was that of stall
WoA LICIOulCO, Wl11lC bAO lctCC dull uCdl
had the ideal beauty Of an Apollo. Tht
brow was high and massive; the fea
lures were clear and finely cut, as in
the models of classic art; the eyes
large, deep, and lustrous; the com
plexion fresh and glowing. It is said
that his personal appearance was sc
striking, that whenever he entered 6
public place, even as a stranger, al
eyes were at once fixed upon him.
In youth he was wild, adventurous
fellow, whose slight regard to worldly
eonventionalities greatly outraged hi
precise, pompous old father. Will
years his manners grew courtly. anc
dignified, even naughty; but his
haughtiness was not that of the par
ve,aas or cox-comb. He could look be-
yond the surface, and his respect fol
men was not based upon the statlor
talent guided him in the choice Of
friends, and, to those he chose to fas
cinate, he was through life the mos
fascinating of men
But this man, so favored by fortune
80 exalted by genius, SO idolized by hi
fellows, was, after all, man with til,
usual weaknesses and frailties, and
among his greatest faults, was untrltl
to the better feelings of his own heart
Courted and caressed by all, he was al
especial favorite with women, and, be
ing much in society, he could be Meth
Or blind nor deaf to their admiration
OF susceptible, impulsive nature
from youth to middle life he was con
tinually falling in love. As he love6
readily, he forgot easily, and most O.
his attachments of this kind we're very
transie t; but there was one deepel
and more enduring first real love
and his best. OF this we purpose tc
speak briefly.
In his twenty second year young
Goethe went to Strasbourg to complet,
his law studies at the University. On
pleasant October day he was invited b,
his friend Wieland to ride over t.
Drusenheim, lovely country village
lying in one of the most delightful re
gions of Alsace, and pay a visit to Pas
tor Brion, the spiritual shepherd of tina
rural community. o
The Brions, in their simple, refined
cheerful home life, forcibly reminded
the young student of the charming fam
lily in Goldsmith's "Vicar of Wake
deldn In Pastor Brion and his excel
lent wife he saw the good Vicar and hi
spouse; Salome, the elder daughter
he called Olivia; Fredericka, tn,
younger, Sophia; and, when the onl,
son and brother appeared, he coul(
scarce help exclaiming, "Moses! ant
are you here, too2''
Fredericka, romping young girl o
sixteen, upon his arrival, was, as usual
absent on her outdoor wanderings. AT
ter while she came tripping into th
room, apparently not at all awed by tn
presence of the aristocratic young gen
tleman from the city. She was bright
bhthesome young creature, and tn
fresh, piquant style of her beauty wa
greatly enhanced by the charming
dress she wore-the old German cos
tune, seldom seen outside the rura
DISTRICTS bodice tightly fitting tn
form, short, full skirt, displaying tn
neatest of feet and ankles, and a blec
silk apron. ..---.--
ssThere she stood says Goethe, i
his "Wahrheit und Dichtung,n 90
the boundary between country beaut
and city belle. Slender and airy, sh
tripped along as if she had nothing t
carry, and her neck seemed almost to
delicate for the luxuriant braids {
faxen hair on her elegant little head
A free, open glance beamed from he
calm, blue eyes, and her pretty ittl
turn-up nose peered inquiringly int
the air with as much unconcern as
there could be nothing like care in th
world. Her straw hat dangled on he
arm, and thus at the first glance ? ha
the delight of seeing her perfect grac,
and acknowledging her perfect lovel
ness
With his usual impetuosity, I'll
young man fell In love with Frederick
at first sight, and every subseque1
meeting only added fuel to tho fam,
Pastor Brion's house was but fe
miles from lStrasbourg, and Goethe
visits there beamevery frequent, Du
ing these visits he an. .Frederlka wei
inseparable companions, and 500
came to be regarded by all as lovers.
FredprlcEa q perfeot child ot m tur