New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-04-08
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
DUNTZER's GOETHE.

LIFE OF GOETHE. BY HEINRICH DuNrzER Trans
lated by THOMAS W. LYsrER. limo PIP f0o' Mac
milan & Co.
The translator of Professor Duntzers biography
sptly defines its position in the world OF letters
when he calls it nccdful forerunncr OF the deal
GIifer of Goethe which is vet to come. With the
conscientious painstaking, characteristic of Ger
man writer, Dintzer has collected, siitcd and set
down mass of detail which in many directions will
he invaluable to the after bographcr but Which to
The ordinary reader is tedious intricate and pcrpeX-
ing. Amid so much that is trivial the things that
are important are swamicG and sometimes vulgar
lied. When We look for the story of Goetnes intel
lcctual development for rich account oil his WORKS
and of the forces that created them, We are con-
frontcd by a minute record of his visits his Jour
news his excursions and his lovc-makings. IL Is q
chronicle of external life in nearly all particulars
Not IN all-for the poets easy and eNer-puOoiins
emotions have more than Justice done TO 'IeH'
Although Professor Duntzcr approaches his sub
ioct in an attitude of unqualified alteration, tof
almost slavsh worship. he has gone far to make
INN, ridiculous lie has pictured Goethe as beng
constantly Giving forth nothing so much rs eplsto-
larry ousb copions tears and scf-Commserallon. lie
has surrounded his idol with so sentimental an at
,oosphere that II at once amuscs and reVoIts Inc
wise bographer Of the future will hardly devote so
u,ucb space TO the poets hOyish love-aiairs; nor
will he treat thcm with the anxious sympathy
which leads Dunther TO ornament them WIN ""-
iectlves and bcdcw them with metaphoric tears
lilo who reads this and no other biography of Goethe
will in spite of tho care with winch II Is written
Get no lust idea of the great author. The scnti-
mental follios OF his emotional youth and OF ms
broken old age hold as large place In this volume
nc the noble achievements which more truly repre-
sent his career his crccds and his aspirations. 50
lost is Duntzer in ibis worship that he Is uucoh-
scous of how contemplate Inquire ne sometimes
makes his subject appear. Goethe always needed
he saws "a number of feminine hearts OF more or
less personal interest 10 him, In which 10 mirror
himself .; and the many lachrymoso and unlmpor-
tant 0,rtations in which this need found expression
are treated by him with respectful sorrow that be-
comes after awhile exceedingly distastciul.
To this admiring soul Goethe could do no wrong.
He not only docs not apologize for the poets selfish
treatment Of gentle Friedcrikc rion but brings 1t
forward "a a new instance Of the nobility OF his
hero There is something degrading in this kind of
biographical enthusiasm; and it grows almost I'M
endnrablo when il deals with the senie tlTtations
Of the old Goethe who at scvcnty-fouri continued
10 shed his ever-plentifni tears over more great
sOrrows Of Icnunciati0n.'
The best life Of Goethe will probably not be
written by German. The poets couutrymcn do
not apparently feel as regards him any sense of
phnOSOphlc perspective anu hdh0 'i"'ii' i'i Nun 10
a demi- god in character well as IN mental power
claims which in this imperfect world are absurd
and only serve TO lower their subject. Goethe as
writer will always stand among the giants; and his
many fine broad and manly qualities OF character
will always be recognized and admted But he was
by no means a saint, and the attempt to prove him
such has the most ludicrous results. The author OF
what MI Lystcr calls the ideal Life ," will take
more account Of his splendid genius and his stcr-
ling traits and less of his emotional vagaries. Not
that these have not their place but their place is
not on the same plane as tho work, the higher
thought Of a great creative writer.
Mr. LISTERS translation is reasonably good,
though like most trauslators who are not also prac
Used authors he often makes the mistake of giving
The letter rather tnan the sprt Of the original