The Western advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1872-1874, 1874-06-27
The Sad Fate of a Genius,

"A WEALTHY gentleman OF Berlin some
ten months ago offered number of val
liable prizes for the best essays that
| should be written on several subjects of
Importance to the learned world; prize
of 200 tha1ers for the best metaphysical
essay, and an equal sum each for essays
ON medieval history, astronomy, celestial
mechanics, sociology, geology, poetry,
and-apparently to show his Worldwide
liness-5OO thalers each for the best ro-
mantle tale and the best poem, the prizes
to be awarded by committee selected
from the various universities and various
designated lltterAteu,s of eminence who
were supposed to be and, as the sequel
showed, really were disinterested in the
matter, and willing to do only what JUS
tice might require. The essays and
poems were to be of no particular length
| and were to be judged simply by their
real merits, but the authors must all be
Germans. The wealth and reputation of
the man who offered the prizes were such
| sufficient guarantee of certainty of
payment and of consequent reputation as
to set half, if not all, of the younger men
of Germany at work to achieve the guer-
don of success. On last Thursday, at the
GeWandt' 'Haus at Leipsic, the prizes
were awarded, large company Of ladies
and gentlemen being present. The cere-
monies were begun by most exquisite
music by the old orchestra-amongw whom
are numbered men who knew and loved
Mendelssohn-at the conclusion of which
the venerable DR.. Schmidt, SO long known
for his kindliness and learning at
Heidelberg, announced the names of
| those who had been so fortunate as to
carry off the very valuable prizes offered.
The names of the authors of the various
works had been sent in scaled envelopes,
on which were inscribed the fictitious
! names signed to their productions.
The author of the metaphysical essay
had chosen as his theme Kant's "Antino-
mein der reinen Veruunft" (Antinomies
of Pure Reason), and taken as his name
for the occasion "Hans Wildenstein."
After passing an eulogium on the essay,
Dr. Schmidt broke the seal and found in
the envelope the name of Max Mark
mann, who thereupon was called upon
the stage to receive the reward of his
work. A pale, poorly-clad, and most
Wretched-looking young man stepped
forward and was received with hearty
applause. ~His hair was thin and gray,
although he was plainly yet young, and
his whole appearance was such as to
at once awaken the sympathies of the
audience. Having received his reward
he stepped quietly aside, and DR.. Schmidt
continued his announcements, Markmann
sitting near him, pale and still, in large
armchair. The astronomical essay was
on the "Evolution of Nebula, with par
ticular reference to the large nebula in
Orion" and here, too, the successful
| author was found to be Max Markmann.
When this announcement was made great
enthusiasm was manifested, and, after re-
| ceiving the prize, poor Markham took his
seat, apparently more weary and detected
than at first. The next essay was re-
view of Rankc, and here, too, this young
| man was successful, and SO on through
the whole list Of prizes. Max Markmann
plause and received his reward. No one
who knows the enthusiasm of the Ger
mans will fail to know that all the
students were ready to carry the young
man off on their shoulders to have good
"kneip." The poem was an exceedingly
fine One-someWhat in the vein Of that
| exquisite poet of Nature, Otto Roquctte,
| yet breathing the air of loftier and
mightier soul which had dwe]t alike
with Shakespeare and Goethe and Homer
It. was wonderful composition. Herr
Auerbach, the author Of "Village Tales"
"On the Heights" and other works, and
who was the head of the Committee on
the Tales, had said of the one named
1.-THE Village Rector" that it was one of
the finest he had ever read. And the
successful competitor for all the prizes
was Herr Max Markham. The prize
! for the tale was the last one announced,
and as Markmann stepped forward
to receive it, amid thunders of
applause, his face suddenly be-
came ashy in it's whiteness, and
he fell fainting on the stage. A death
like silence succeeded, during which he
was removed to an ante-room, and but
partially restored to consciousness. He
fingered but for four hours, and when he
died the physicians who had attended
him announced that his death was caused
by privation-in other words, by starva-
tion. All that the highest medical skill
could do had been of no avail. 1t was
found that for years he had occupied a
little chamber in an obscure Gasse, where
he had worked, gaining most precarious
living in teaching languages and nearly
everything which anybody required to
know. In his room were found incom-
plete models of remarkable mechanical
contrivances, broken chair and mounds
of manuscript, among which were letters
from some of the most distinguished men
in Europe. He had, apparently, lived on
almost nothing for months, and poor,
detected, weary, yet glowing with the
fire of genius, had worked for the prizes
offered-amountingi in all to 2,400 thalers
and then, hungry and weary, had
dragged himself to the Gewandt- Haus to
win them and die. If the history of labor,
genius and its rewards has sadder tale
n tell than this know not of it-LefDsic