New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-23
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
oorruE AND MFNDELSSOHN.

The friendship of Goethe in his old age with inc
voutbful Mendelssohn affords beautiful illusuS-
ton of the vitality and many-sidedness OF ms ma
fure Nor was the opportunity which ahe INDUSTRIOUS
composer enjoyed boy of holding iamliiat iutei
course with the immortal poet IN his own nome WIFE
out powerful influence on his future character ~
cave fresh impulse to the love of perfection and
Abe hatred Of everything mean and untruthtm
which were among his conspicuous traite The ac-
naintanee was brought about Zeter, aman no less
a;t;nOnished for certain rough-hewn originality OF
character than his proficiency in musical art. His
rnde force was softened and toned down by the har
mouions personality Of Goethe, with whom he cher
isbed coneenial intimacy through life. in spite OF
marked differences of temperament. When Goethe
was seventy-twO years old, and Felix Mendelssohn
lint twelve Zelter announces to his friend his pro
posed visit TO Weimar l want" he writes to
Goethe, to show your face to my Doris, and
my best pupil before leave the world, though
certainly mean TO hold out in it aslong as possible
The boyis good and pretty and lively and obedient"
At that time Felix had already made wonderful
progress in musical composition. He had written
two operas. and nearly finished third. had com
posed psalm in four or five parts with grand
donble fueue together with half dozen symphonies,
a quartet for piano and strings, cantata, six
fngues for pianO-forte, and variety OF studies,
sonatas and songs. &" Just fancy" says his mother
writing TO her sistern-aw, Henrietta Mendelssohn,
in Paris that the little wretch is to have the good
luck of going to Weimar with Zelter fer short
time. He wants TO show him to Goethe. and is to
take him there next week after they have been to
the exhibition of Schadow's picture Of Luther at
Wittenberg You can imagine what it costs me to
part from the dear child even fora few weeks. But
consider il such en- advantage for him to be intro
duced to Goethe, 10 live under the same root with
him and enjoy the blessing of so great man. am
also glad of this little journey change for him
for his impulsiveness sometimes makes him work
harder than he ought 10 at his age"
His fond parents did not fail to start the juvenile
traveller with his pockets full of good advice. Keep
your wits about you7 writes his father. " Every
time write TO you, my dear boy, shall remind you
to keep strict watch over yourself to sit properly
and behave nicely, especially at dinner to speak
distinctly and suitably and try much as possible
to express yourself to the point. know what
good fellow you are and therefore think IL hardly
necessary 10 remind you to be good and modest ard
obedient 10 your fatherly friend and guide and not
30 forget often TO think afectOnatey of us.D His
mother writes If could but be little mouse so
rs to watch my dear Felix while he's away, and see
how be COMFORTS himself as an Independent youth.
Mind you snap up every word that Goethe says; l
want to know all about him" His elder sister Fanny
also ehined in with the chorus OF wise saws from
the parental lips: when you are with Goethe,
advise you to open You eyes and ears wide; and
after you come home, if you can't repeat every word
that fell from his mouth, will have nothing more
to do with you It better for us to lose you for
little, that during that time you may lay up the
most precious recollections for your future life"
The ardent boy sends home the most ingenious
and lively details of his reception. " He describes
the beautiful arrangement of Goethe's house, the
pleasant Salve' which greeted him on the threshold
of the door leading TO the chief apartment; the
statues on the steps and in the lobby which suggested
Greece the dreamland Of the poet. No doubt the
boys heart beat as he tTod the sacred threshold"
Now stop listen, all of yOu" he writes on the 9Th
of Wcmar-Goe1he- arrived. In the morning we went
10 church. and they gave US nall OF lVOth Psalm
The organ large, but weak the Marienorgan, small
Us il s he much powerful This one has so st0psl
"AfterwardsI went TO the Eephant w9ere sEetGBeu
fessor Zelter and said Goethe has eome-the od
gentenan's come? and in minute we were down the
steps and in GOehe house. He in the garden, and
was just coming round corner Isn't II strange dear
fatheri that exactly how you met him. He Is very
kind but don't think any Of the pictures are like him.
lie looking over his collection OF petrifaetions'
which his son had arranged for hln ana Kept saylhg
Hin, hm / very much pleased After that
stayed in the garden with him and Professor leter Tor
hall an hour. Then came dinner one would never take
hlm for seventy three, but for fifty: AFTER dinner
FIauein Urke he SISTER OF frau Won GoStne sto TOT
kiss and did the same Every morning get KISS
from the author Of Faust aud Werther' and every
aft
Think Of that! I'm LesC went several tunes thIou-n
Auerbachs curious courtyard great passage like many
in by houses So or seven stories high On the market
place there is actually one Of nine stores)
But where au wandering to! After dinner played
10 Goethe for two hours and more, partly Bach fugues
md PARTLY extenpore. In the ningthey played whist
said Whist means that You are to hold your Tongues
What good saying We bad supper all together even
Goethe though generally he never eats anything IN
the evening Now, my dear coughing Fanny! yesterday
Is
tleman. / told him that you had written some, and
asked if he would hear them. He said Yes yes very
willingly! Frau Won Goethe liked them very much,
which a good omen. He il 10 near them to-day or to-
morrow. AN 50 sorry that shall not see Lipinsh
again.
Felix soon got over the constraint of the first ac
quantanoe, and made himself perfectly at home in
the house Of the man whom others approached with
tmid Difference. He was not awed by his slow and
solemn gait, his powerful features, the lofty brow
on which Apollo had set his seal of strength and
wisdom nor his deep voice and measured speech
al of which conveyed an impression Of stately dig
nity. Even Zelter who usually despsed all outward
forms never appeared at Goethe's, but in full
dress He wore short black silk bTeeches, silk stock
ings and shoes with immense silver buckles, cos
fume which, though long out of fashion, was sup
poeed TO bear the stamp Of peculiar sOlemnity
Goethe himself often admitted that he reserved
certain indifference of manner for strangers who
came to visit him. But for the little Berliner he
laid aside all his accustomed dignity. He patted
his head with true fatherly kindness so that the
bashfu boy lost all reserve and gave way to his ma
fura impetuous spirits in all their youthful fresh
ness Goethe at once felt quite much personal at
traction for the boy interest in his music AT the
frst party which Goethe gave for the Berliners, he
amused himself with making trial Of Felix's talent
before all the company. Ny friend Zelter'' he
said TO Relstab has brought bis little pupil to
nee me we are TO have trial of his musical powers,