Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-11
GOETHE AND SCHlLLER'S SON.
The Interest the German Poet Took In
the Child Of His Friend.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press
The Gothic society have lately come into pos
session of some fine reproductions by Carl Ru-
land of a set of charming sketches made by
Goethe in 1910. On the margin of a sketch of
Schiller's garden, at Jena, is written: "The
little house was built by Schiller for q quiet
workroom, and it was there that his invaluable
works were brought forth" When Goethe
wrote these words Schiller had been dead six
teen years.
This is only a fresh proof Of the veneration
which Goethe felt for the memory Of his friend,
and which he has expressed with SO much
warmth in his glowing epilogue to the "Song
of the Bell, and also in numberless passages
in his letters. He had known Charlotte Won
and he was especially fond Of their second son
Ernst, who was born during the summer of
1876, when Goethe and Schiller were mutually
engaged in writin the Zenia. Ernst seemed to
have been a quiet, self-reliant young man, and
Goethe rejoiced in the intimacy between him
and his own son August, who was few years
older, but of more jocund temperament.
In the commencement of the year 1914 Schil-
ler's eldest son Karl joined the army Of the
Allies in company with his fathers old friend,
Wilhelm Won Wolzogen, and August Won Goethe
also fastened to the headquarters at Frankfort
on-the-Main. Ernst Won Schiller, youth of
eighteen, was very eager to go with them and
take part in the struggle for the Fatherland,
but Goethe and his mother kept him back An
until now unpublished letter from Goethe to
Schiller's widow shows how the former inter-
ested himself in the young mans future.
.'Your Ernst is again in Jena; used to inter-
est myself in him Indirectly through August
Now l would like, with your approval, to do
something for him directly. He wishes to
study jurisprudence and is devoting himself to
thorough mastery of Latin. To acquire this
by oneself, however, is well nigh impossible
would like, therefore, to take the young man
to Herr Eichstedt and have him made a men,
Der Of the Latin society, where, with the neces-
sary application, he would make rapid advance
ment. II this seems advisable to you will do
it at once. All well. g."
1t is easy to fix the date of this letter nsl4),
by the help of Goethe's published correspond
ence with Eichstedt, who WAS a distinguished
Latin scholar and director Of the Latin So
ciety in Jena from 1871. Charlotte Won
Schiller's answer is preserved in the Goethe
archives and published in the Jahrbuch for
1887. 1t is dated February g. and was ap-
parently sent Immediately on the receipt Of
Goethe's.
"Your note, dear, honored friend, has deeply
moved me. I have always found much COM
fort in the friendship of your dear son and
Ernst, for it is very dear to me to feel that the
bond which united their fathers now unites
their sons, and thus a scarlet thread is woven
in the web of life which shines forth cheer
ingly against the darker threads of the warp.
Your proposition is very welcome to me for
Ernst and 1 gratefully accept It,"
And about q fortnight later Goethe writes
again to her:
Professor Eichstedt has great liking for
Ernst and wishes to be really useful to him.
Tell him to approach him with confidence"
Young Schiller appears to have followed
Goethe's advice with alacrity. His mother,
| writing few weeks later to Princess Karoline
Won Sachse Wemar, says: Ernst is much hap
| pier and very busy in Jena. He is studying
Latin and the Justinian Institutes very zeal
| ously."
Schiller's son became afterward distinguished
| in Jurisprudence, which he studied as It were
under Goethe's eye, and at the time of his
death held an important position as counsellor
| of appeals