New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
GERMAN LITERATURE.


IUorth Boyesen l2mO, Pr. 800. Charles ScilD-
ncr's Sons.
Goethe students should welcome Professor Boycsens
new volume, for While 1t certainly, as the title IN
dcates extends beyond Goethe by far the greater part
OF the authors attention is devoted to him. Then
there chapters The Life and Works OF Goethe
Goethe and Carlyle THE English Estimate OF
Goethe" some English Transations OF Goethe
sermons from Goethe" and GOethe's Relations TO
Women" while in several other essays ne hgueS
largely, for indeed there be no discussion OF ter
man literature without him. Professor Boyesen hohs
somewhat peculiar notions about Goethe In several
respects. His assertion that Englishnan can I'M
derstand the master appears too sweeping general
cation, but 1t is perhaps explained by inc a''o''
equally sweeping panegyrc applied by the auIhor u
Goethes character and The conclusion might
easily be reached that in Professor BOyesehs we"
nobody understands or ever can understand Goethe
who finds fault with him lie works In any respect
We do not suppose such conclusion would be lus'i-
fable, but IL would be a generalization not less war
rantabe than The authors dictum excluding a whole
nation from the capacity to appreciate Goethe
In fact a great deal might be said upon this ques-
ton of appreciation, not only regards foreigners
but rs regards GOehe's own fellow-countrymen'
whoever has read German commentaries upon FauSt'
for example is aware that the most diverse views nave
been taken of the poets meaning, especially in the
Second Part No doubt there qualities III Goethes
work, and in his life which are calculated to
rouse and rritae British Philistinlsm. In some Of
these instances Philistinism is plainly wrong but TINS
Is not always the case. The sentimentalsm OF
"Werther" for instance has been considered morbid
by English critics. and morbid 1t is. wilhelm
Meister has been charged with dulncss in parts, and
most people outside Of Germany have agreed I'm that
Judgment The ethic of Elective Aninities' has
been found fault with, and asSuredy 1t is not con
ventiona As to the second part Of Faust, that is
really test 1t is impossible Tint the British
Phlisne or the American Phlisne, the Philistine
almost equally impossible that the Philstine of any
nationality should comprehend Faust" whole.
Yet the best translation Of Faust" has been made
by an American, and the second best translation by
Englishman
We are glad to find Professor Boyesen so warmly
recognizing the excellence of Bayard Tayor's trans
lation. In opinion there is scarcely room for
comparison in this 1t Is Eclipse first, and
the rest nowhere" 1t is. Of course possible to find
blemshes In Taylor's work, and to point ont lines
in the work of English translaors which praise
But taking the whole poems together the American
translator has produced version. the sustained
fidelity and felicity OF which cannot be matched
Professor Boyesen observes: 81 believe / am ac-
quanted with all translaton OF Faust into English
and have, after much study, come to the conclusion
that Iaylors mite more eXceences than any OF the
others. If l to state its claim to superiority
In one word should say that generally speaking |
1t is poetry, while all the others are metrca prose
rising now and then into the regions consecrated TO
the tuneful Nine 1t is not by any means final and
1ujgy satisfactory transition, making all others |
superuous but it gives everywhere evidence of having
been written by man of finer poetic Susceptibility |
and higher poetic gift than any OF his competitors"
While in most respects Professor Boyesen's Goethe
Criticisms are penetrating and illuminatve his ad-
miraton for his hero sometimes carries him farther
than we. at least. feel able to go with him. This is
particularly the case In regard to the essay on
Goethes relations TO women Whatever may be said
on this subject generally 1t surely cannot be seriously
maintained that the poets behavior to poor FREDERICK
Brion the daughter of the Pastor Of Tesenheim is
deiensoic More than that the episode illustrates "A
certain hardness and coldness I'm Goethe's nature
Which runs through all his relations with women.
and which is associated with what more than once or
ton that man OF genius is not amenable to the
ordinary social conventions has frequently been EN-.
ployed In defence OF Goethe, but 1t is an argument
which will not bear examination. The man Of genius
can no more be released from social responsibilities
than can the average man. and If he tries to live
without law In defiance OF 1t his course does not
prove his superiority. but simply marks his limta.
lions and deficiencies The opinion that Goethe was
coid, even That he was heartess and egOistic
upon evidence which. whatever judgment it justifcs
cannot be ignored. and has yet been success
fully explained away,
All Professor BOyesens Goethe papers are full OF
Interest and acuteness. whether with their
conclusions fully takes exception here and there
The essays on the evolution Of the German novel and
on the German Romantic school also attractive.
The German mind took slowly to the idea OF fiction
hlndered by the philosophical bent which pre-
vented German writer's from telling a story without
endeavorng at the same time to defend some nj Ito.
sophie thesis Now, the didacfc novel has always |
and everywhere been a dreadful creation but when |
didactcism takes the form OF philosophical lectures
disguised romance. the result Is catastrophic at
least TO the non-German Intelligence Germany Jagged
far behind France, England and America In the field |
OF fiction, and even grasp painfully those
views OF this form Of literature which, even when an
tagOnstic have In other countries been productive of
such brilliant results. Indeed the absolute separation
of fiction from philosophy would TO be "A first ne
cessty Of the situation and such separation has not
even yet been fully accomplished.
II must be overlooked that external clrclm-
stances had much TO do with this backwardne~s The
NapOeOnlc wars and the weakness due TO cultivated
disuniOn among the German states paralyzed The
national spirit for long ime during which other
peoples were advancing rapidly. But il Is s difficult
10 understand why the German devclopcment OF fiction
Should have continued 10 be slow even after the
chief hindrances 10 Its growth had been removed
few really great novels have been produced during
the last thirty years. but considering the height OF the
intellectual and educational standard In GERMANY
the movement In this department literature has been
curiOusy sluggish and feeble That the time will come
for a more profusc and vigorous production nav be
regarded certain however, and then the causes OF
the past naction may be more clearly pcrcepiblc |
Professor Boyesens suggestive and clever essays will
In the meantime afford clear ldea Of the situation
as II exists.