Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-02-01
VOL. XI.

presence. I was UNNECESSARILY happy
when by her side."
j The youth and the maiden were con.
slant companions They walked and
rode, they read and sung, they talked
and laughed together, and neither
dreamed of any pleasure which the
other might not share. With the fam
lily and other friends, they took little
iaunts into the country, went on excur-
sions to the islands of the Rhine, and
visited at the neighboring houses. Both
in their entire happiness, were the gay
est of the gay, and the life of every
company; "but, says Goethe, I" while
we seemed to be living for those around
us, We lived only for each other.
During absence they were still united
in thought, and their letters were very
frequent. Fredericka showed herself the
same happy, unaffected child as in the
intercourse of daily life, Goethe was
already becoming known as poet, and
this young girl became the inspiration
of his sweetest lays. He wrote many
songs expressly for her, and set them
to well known melodies" enough to
fill volume, he says, chad they been
collected
"My passion grew the more" he
writes, cas- I came TO know the worth
of the excellent girl, and the time ap-
preached when / must leave so much
love and goodness, perhaps forever
There had been no formal betrothal,
and vet, in the sight of men and angels
by the election Of their own hearts
these young lovers belonged to each
other
Goethe passed highly creditable ex-
animation, and received his degree as
doctor of laws, an honor of which his
father was not little proud, The old
gentleman had very high aspirations
for his gifted son.
Before returning home to Frankfort
Doctor Goethe went to bid Frederieka
adieu. .vrzv
Hewrites: ssThose were painful days,
which I would gladly forget AS from
on horseback I reached her my hand at
parting, tears stood in her-eyes, and I
was also very sad at heart, "
He had resolved upon leaving Stras=
bourg to tear this passion for Frederz
ieka from his heart, no matter how
much agony it cost him. But this was
no light task, for it was a love which
had taken deep hold of all that was
best and noblest in his nature. In alb
sence, the image of the sweet young
girl vas ever before his eyes, and he
pined ineessant1y for her. Had he fol-
lowed the dictates of his heart, he
would have returned to her to set the
seal of their mutual affection by for=
NAL betrothal. But worldly prudence
with him was stronger than love, and
he was man who could yield up the
sweetest dream of his life to ambition.
The disparity of station between the
rich bankers son and the country
clergyman's daughter was veay great
it was an alliance to which the naughty
old Frankfort aristocrat would never
oonsent-yet still in his inmost heart,
Goethe knew that Frederieka was
worthy of him.
The affection Of that proud young
student and man of the world had been
put to severe test when Fredericka
and her sister, in their obsolete pro-
vincial costume, had come to visit some
rich and fashionable Strasbourg rela-
tives. Though Fredericka possessed a
natural ease and grace ofmanner which
made her at home In any society, still
Goethe could not fail to note the con-
trast between his woodland nymph"
and the circle of high-bred ladies in
which he moved.
Morbidly offensive to the opinions of
others, he could not endure to have his
chosen one the object of invidious re-
mark or criticism, and it was positive
relief to him when Frederick eturned
home. Yet he very well knew that she
| -,-,,,15 t,+-s 4b6 e., o,,1 ffnoI conco 70
adapt her dress and manner to the cir
cles in which she would be introduced
as his wife, and it is not probable that
it was her inferior station, or unac-
quaintance with high life, nor, indeed,
fear of his fathers displeasure, that
induced him to break off the connec-
tion. He dreaded marriage as the
grave of ambition, the Illustration of a
high career.
Soon after his arrival he wrote the
young girl letter, bidding her adie u
forever.
He says: "Frederick's answer tore
my heart. I now, for the last time, be
came aware of her bereavement, and
saw no possibility of alleviating it, She
was ever in my thoughts. I felt that
she was wanting to me, and, worst of
all, I could not forgive myself / had
wounded to the very depths one of the
most beautiful and tender of hearts,
and that period of repentance, bereft of
the love which had supported me, was
agonizing, intolerable. But man will
live, and hence took sincere interest
in others, seeking to disentangle their
embarrassments, and to unite those
about to part, that they might not feel
what I felt. Hence I got the name OF
the confddaat. On account of my wan
derings, I was also called the wanderer.
I turned more than ever to the open
world and nature and there alone
found comfort. During my walks
improvised hymns and dithyrambs.
! One of these, sThe Wanderers Storm
, Lied, yet remains. The burden of the
song is, that man of genius must walk
|, resolutely through the storms of life. .
No word of blame ever escaped Fred
erick's lips, though Goethe himself says
, that his desertion nearly cost her heI
, life.
Retired from the world, in the sweet
solitude of her country home she passed
life beautiful hts unselfish devotion
to others. While to whom she had
given her hearts first and only love
, stood upon the dizzy heights of fortune,
, splendor and renoun, she was the ben
, efactor of the poor, the consoler of the
sorrowing, the friend of all who were
desolate and oppressed.
r There were depths in her character
, of which those who knew her only IL
, her careless, happy young girlhood
f little dreamed. She possessed a refined
3 sensitive nature; a tender, loving, wo
r manly heart, which was worthy of {
| better heart. She was sought by Others
in marriage, among whom was Goethe''
: friend LEM; but she. declined all of
fers, saying, "The heart that has loved
e Goethe can belong to no other"
a Eight years after their parting Goe
t the again went to visit the family once
SO dear, and the old scenes where th'
' happiest moments of his life had pass