New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-30
STUDIES IN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
BY CHARLES t. CoNGDoN.
Holm worFcANG Won GOETHE.


Prom nv own Life " written in 1S12-14, the con-
lclusion appearing after GOethe's death, has Deeu
Ivarousy criticised, and not always favoraoly' ~
has been complained that while the writer lhtenueu
1t 10 be an accurate and circumstantial account vi
his life ii is in many respects misleading ana tna'
6maonaton. as the title indicates, plays too large
mart in the composition. Mr. Lewes, IN the frelace
To his Life of Goethe expresses the opinion that
tbe autobiography wants the egotistic garrulity
and detail which give such confessions their value"
He thinks that there is in the work an abiding
5naceuracy of tome which, far more misleading than
the many inaccuracies of fact, gives to the whole
youthful period, as narrated by him. an aspect so
directly contrary to what is given by contemporary
evidence especially his letters that an attempt
10 reconcile the contradiction is futile" 1t may be
as well in this paper avoid all attempt TO repro
duce the philosophical aspects of the book, ana 10
enjoy whatever is entertaining in It's narrative
without the scrutiny of alert literary CRITICISM
MANY readers have found the work dull. FROM an
English point of view, it has been sharply crltl-
cised and the first TRANSACTIONS OF 1t have been
deemed inadequate. But the part which relates 10
tGoethe's childhood is singulariy engaging ana a
ramble through these early chapters can hardly 1all
of human interest.
Goethe tells us that he was born on the 18th OF
August, i749 ct midday. as the clock struck
Twelve. at Frankfort-on-th the Main. With his love
of the curious, he adds: "My horoscope was pro-
ptious: the Sun stood in the sign of the Virgin and
had eliminated for the day; Jupiter and Venus
looked on him with friendly eye, and Mercury not
adversely; " lille Saturn and Mars kept themselves
indifferent; the Moon alone, just full, exerted the
power of her reflection all the more, as she had then
reached her planetary hour. She opposed herself
therefore. to my BIRTH which could not be accom-
plished until this hour past" Other details OF
this remarkable birth we get from other sources
.Ibe infant was black and almost liteess Goethe
half seriously says that the good aspect OF the stars
saved him. The story of his childhood is as pleas
ant as a fairy tale. Readers Of the book Will re-
member with pleasure the gusto with which he re-
lates how he hurled all the pots and dishes into the
street: how the neighbors encouraged him to keep
mn the fine smash; and how the whole collection
y matters pipkins mugs and all, were dashed upon
The pavement" There a touch here oil the
divine madness which marked Goethe's early youth
One sees him, too, wandering around the Ole nome
gazing dreamily upon the Roman views with when
his father had Ornamented the walls, and becoming
familiar even then with the Piazza del Popolo, the
Colosseum, the Piazza of st. Peters, the castle OF
st. Angelo Not less characteristics Is his account
nf the puppet-show with which, one Christmas even
ing. his grandmother amused the children The
little stage" he writes, with its speeches. per-
sonages which at the outset had only been ex-
hibited to u.s. was afterward given over for our
own use and dramatic vivifcation."
THE account which Goethe gives of his fathers
library must be very interesting TO every lover OF
books II is easy to imagine the appearance OF the
collection in its calf and half-calf bindings. Par
tcular mention is made of the beautiful Dutch edi-
tons of the Latin classics, which for the sake OF
uniformity old Goethe had endeavored to procure
all in quarto Half the collection were in
h,p1i N-ith
written titles Books like these are
still familiar to the haunters of stalls
and are bought to be looked at. and to Illus
trate the progress of the topographic art if not to
be read. Goethe's grave old father pursued the
ACQUISITION of new books, as well as their binding
and arrangement, with great mposure and love OF
order ian example for all who share in the noble
madness
When the poet was about six years old came news
of that great earthquake in Lisbon November l,
1859 which affrighted the world. His fine account
of it, written in his maturity, hardly represents
adequately the emotions of the boy, but we may
believe him when he says that 1t staggered his
faith in the goodness of " that angry Coo of whom
the Old Testament records so much" 1t well might,
since as he says the demon of fright had never so
speedily and powerfully diused his terrors over the
earth" Indeed all ways the boy was precocious
Languages he learned with ease while the rules of
grammar dispeased him, and seemed ridiculous,
inasmuch as they were contradcted by so many
exceptions. Goethes father planned his future
education early, and took the fright LAD into MS
confidence. He was to study jurisprudence at
Iepsic. and atterward to take his degree al some
other university He was to 90 to Vienna and
thence toward Italy, and perhaps first OF all TO
Paris His remark that 40 libraries for children had
then been established is worth noticing. He was
fed from The first upon strong diet, but he read
"Telemachus" Robinson Crusoe" and Ansons
"Voyage Round the Globe" There were cheap
popular publications. each of which was to be had
at the cost of couple of kzeuzT-the Eulenspiegel
the Four Sons of Haimon, the Emperor Octavian,
the Fair Melusina, the Beautiful Mageone Fortu-
natus The Wandering Jew.
Most of the photographers give us su ftclent IN
formation respecting the dreams with which their
childhood was afflicted, and Goethe is no exception
TO the rule He had just bought the book about
Fortunatus when he fell i'll of the smallpox. The
German physicians were then still doubtful about
incubation. Goethe narraJes how his whole body
was sown over with spots, and how he was promised
heaps of gold if he would not increase the mischief
by rubbing and scratching. lie also had the
measles which increased his propensity 10 reflection
and led him to cultivate stoically the virtue OF
patience.
When Goethe was Just seven years old, the Seven
fears War broke out. The French troops marched
into Frankfort in January, 1853, and the Kings
Lieutenant was quartered in the house OF Goethe,
which was the harder to bear as his father sided
with the Prussians The representative of the Most
Christian King, the Count Thorane. is depicted as
"a tall thin figure. with face much dis
figured by the smallpox, black, fiery eyes, and
dignifed, reserved demeanor"-a well-intentioned
but stern and precise man. The yonng stu
dent improved the opportunity TO learn French,
which be did with his usual facility, soon decaim
ing Racine to himself, frequentng the French
theatre. and trying his hand at writing French
plays in the style of Piron. He studied Comedies
treatses and the preiaces Of Racine, and acquired
conternnt for the Unities. which perhaps had its