Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1876-10-26
NOVALIS.

hdNJ 1Cdlo dSO d lilIlO NdJ-
dreamer was born. Without suffer
ing from any dangerous Or definite
disease, he was weakly from his
birth. Silent and absent, careless
of games, holding himself aloof
from playmates; but he loved his
mother and family very dearly.
But let us pass over the spring-time
of his life and come to the summer
1t is not difficult to give a fair
shadowing Of the actual Novalis, as
we hold in our hand his book Of
songs; and a friend Of his tells us
that in form he was slender, that
his countenance was happy and
benignant, resembling in outline
that of st. John, as represented in
Albert Durer's masterpiece; his
hazel eyes were clear and brilliant,
and indicated intelligence; his
mouth the very type of kindliness;
his complexion, especially the fore
head, almost transparent, and his
light brown hair hung loosely over
his shoulders in long flowing locks.
Noyalis was a poet, and his home
was Saxony. One day he became
acquainted with Sophy. She was
only fourteen years OF age then, but
she possessed already as much char
acter as a grown woman, and the
graces of intellect and dignity were
blended with the charms and fresh
ness of youth. Novalis tells us IN
one of his sweet stories of a charm
ing, delightful child, with hair of
golden silk, lips cherry red, and
burning, coal black eyes, and her
name was Roseblossom. Whose
looked on her could almost die of
her beauty. AT this time she gave
all her heart to Hyacinth, and he
loved her to madness, and he was
as beautiful as a picture and danced
like a sweetheart. The other chill
dren knew nothing Of it. A violet
was the first who told. The pussy
cats had seen it clearly from the
GfrSt, because the two houses stood
side BY side and then at night
when Hyaointh leant from his
window and Roseblossom from hers,
and the pussy cats, trying to get
up q mice hunt in the garden, say
both of them standing there, they
began to litter and laugh so openly
that the young lovers heard it, and
grew very cross with them,
The course of RoseblossOm's and
Hyacinth's love ran smoothly from
the first, but we cannot say the
same of Sophy's and Nayllis'.
Alas there was something great
deal worse than the tittering of
pussy cats to break 10 upon it.
From the first moment he saw her
the fate of his future life was de-
cidtd. He rode home dreaming Of
her beauty. From the first his pas
sion was returned. We will call
that the blossoming season of bis
life. Every hour he could spare
was spent with her, and late in the
autumn they were betrothed, Sophy
was still very young. She, like the
daughter of the fair Nokomis, who
was born among the ferns and
MOSES Of the meadow,
Grew up like the prairis lilies,
Grey tall and slender maiden,
With the beauty of the moonlight
With the beauty OF ihe starlight.
Moyalis becamea poet every ting
he chancel TO talk to her. She be.
came the essence of his life. AL
his genius was penetrated by her
She was to him u woman, Yet al,
mcst a Madonna. There is some
where a wondrous belvedere, built
! in the Renaissance style, by a low
ing king for his sweetheart. SenC
me artists ho wrote to his ambas
sadors, "but only artists who arc
lovers, for all true beauty must beal
the stamp of love" II this is true
of the workers in stone, how mucE
truer must it be of the poet, who's
tools are the passions.
After Noyalis met Sophy h,
could write as a poet should. Be
fore, all his efforts were only trials
But, alas, the fate Of his sweethear