New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-06-14

In the Spring OF 1901, MI warn inaue III oAVui9i'n
10 Weimar, which he speaks Of as the Widowed
CITY of the muses." and of course visited the houses
of Goethe and Schiller. and the apartments in the
palace called the poets rooms, in which the walls
were painted with scenes from Schiller, Goethe,
WIeland, and Herder He had interview here
with Eckermann, whose name has been made IA
miliar TO the lovers Of German literature IN TINS
country, from his Conversations with Goethe
a work SO admirably translated into English ny
Margaret Fuller more than thirty years ago.
After going over the ducal library containing loeoc9
volumes. called on Eekermann, and fOun1 nun enEasG
Of ali sorts We talked of Goethe, and ne spoke Of MN
with becoming reverence as bis benetseOr sna be
and enjoys tie title OF Hofrath, or lie
was the son of poor Gotaeer ~ Himself TO point
which qualified him to become secretary ana ananuehss
10 Goee and afterwards TO publish an interesting ac
conDt of conversations which he had held with the
Great master during the last ten years OF MS NC
id II was not exactly so: that TIE poet loved his coui
try and reoiced in its historical commissioners lS
emies and universities ana ls nueLUeS - 3vSystion
But did feel that hatred or the frehch uan, 81
renri the Invaders lie was too old TO become com,
blatant person. and lie had not the eta wnlcn ~
others TO compose patriotic songs Inc uuJn see a. "
be that Goetbe's feelings rather c0smOpoe than
national He did not care about pOnucs anu ~ 30 H.
ncb reyon1on and at the time of its outbreak inter
esfed himself only in o controversy on ques1on ia
n euv be,Seen CnTer and Geonfoy dc stHilaire.
But we should forget how much Goethes genius anu
for the instruction and improvement 81 Ills @
In his own way; and that his works have always been
an nexhaustbe Of delight to all classes oil the
FcFerp9nn mentioned that Goethe had suffered much
from the Of his wife and SON. both OF whom had IN
iured themselves by incorporate habits. lie felt MS
sons death deeply that he could not even prnS MINI
self to talk OF IT with bis friends and when the Caanee
lor de Miller came cOndOe with him, he imlne datey
c1angeG Ie @ toe ocious in his attentions but
has mn
by memoir OF his career as statesman ana man OF
business, in which capacities SSe!ne M3r sad Eer
Manu. very practical one why, indeed, snoui1
poet be less practical IN affairs than snVtndr th MAJ notSe
pietist. He never went 10 church, or uouole9
himself about church affairs sayns % reTs sU was as
philosophical, and he was more pahtnelsI tnan ~ ~
Thing else understanding by God the great spirit OF me
universe whom he constantly venerated He consid-
cred the Bible Of divine origin not on aGe0uD. % ho
sacred writings but because the Divine Spirit
manifestly pervaded Them in the same way
Psrbae,. and Mozart. OF Christianity Goethe
believed descend eelo though not indeed IN the sense
of the church. In OF his be tod Eek
ermann that he thought immortality might DE re-
served for minds of high order which had done ther
best TO fulfill their mission IN this transltoIy He. ~
was he insensbe TO the soothing and hnmanlGng enSt
OF religious ordinances upon the inner ne Ta ~
the worship Of the Roman Catholic Church, and has
pointed out the seven sacramento nave nterNoVeh
themselves with the most solemn passages In human me-
and superior the Catholic worship was 10 that OF
sufficient fness cOnseeuveDess In their divine ser
vices to enable them TO hold religious community TO-
gether for any length OF time.
EekerTpann had q strong thirst for knowledge, and
when in the society of his great master seems now anu
ting tie German proveTb that Providence has taken
let the trees grow up Into the On such
occasions Goethe gently repeHed MS curiosity Win such
"Nan Is not born to solve the problem Of the world
but 10 inquire whether the problem approaches and so
10 keep himself within the limits OF the oomprehens
ia ond
Of the omniscence of Coo for if the Godhead knows
what 1 shall do am forced TO act as he knOwsit.
Is not good for us to NEEDLE with divine secfetsp
took liking to Eckermanp as simple minded man
philosopher, had good and clear understanding ne
owed everything TO Goethe, and gratefully aekhowl-
dl6ed with me at hotel in Weimar. but was in i'll
health and low spirits he died not long afterwards
Interesting and instructive books in any language Its
an s1SSneE to tine poex1
the rose" 10 a useful purpose.
As a pendant to the preceding description, we may
take Mr. Wards account of his visit to Gotta the
son of Goethe and Schiller's famous publisher) in
the quaint little city Of Stuttgart with its green
luxurance of silver pOpars and horse-chestnuts set
in a circular frame of mountain vineyards.
In the Autumn Of IsIS made excursion through the
south Of Germany where the current OF nie nows so
the easy temperaments and kind hearts of the good
IT was not them that the political regeneration Of
the faherand in any circumstance, TO be antic
situation in deep valley surrounded by vineeovered
hills and everybody rushing away to the neghborng
ment. fortunate enough TO Baron Gotta, the
eminent bookseller, and to have some conversation
that the English publishers had great ad-
over those IN %S Rs IN
and there were many persons able to purchase
he said IN In
German literature although comprising great deal OF
rubbish was upon the wnOe 10 na OF
and other religious publications as well as OF that in
erOr class OF novels whose manifest tendency is 20
feeble the readers mind. But he added we have too
many literary men In Germany; and II would be better
selves as in England TO trade and industrial pursuits
went out coonists TO distant lands Gotta was I'M
doubtedy the leading publisher in the south, Brock
haus was in the north, of Germany The business
carried at Stuttgart and TIbngen was founded by
his father, OF untiring energy who devoted him.
self TO the good OF his native land only by his editions
OF Schiller, Goethe, and other German classics. and
his many excellent periodicals. but by his active pro-
motion Of cation, and by his negotiation of
the first Zorerentreaty between Prussia, Bavaria aud
WurtemberR
Upon returning to Hamburg in 1860 after an interval
of twenty years from his first residence in that city,
Mr. Ward found great changes in its society well
as in it's external appearance. large portion had
been rebuilt since the fire Of 1872 and the suburbs
had been greatly enlarged and improved. The lead
ing families dispensed their hospitality liberal
scale and the increase of luxury, both in the higher
and middle ranks of society could be perceived
by the most superficial observer. There were few
literary men, with the exception of Lappenberg the
distinguished antiquary, who still pursued his his
torical studies. and Egdy who devoted himself
with great success TO questions of German politics
and international law. The relatives of Heinrich
Heine were among the wealthiest families of Ham
burg, and the following account of their affluent
circumstances reads oddly when remembers the
pecuniary misery by which the latter days of the
poet in Paris were 50 sadly embittered.