Washington sentinel., 1898-01-22

up to the despairing point, where
the hero resolves 20 put an end to
his own life. Charlotte and Kest-
ner were at first grieved and indIg-
nant at the publicity given to their
private affairs in this story wherein
the characters were so unmistak-
able; but they subsequently for
gave Goethe for the sake Of that
nameless element in the man which
never appealed in vain. 1t was,
indeed, as natural tor Goethe to
write as it was for him to feel or
think. And he never hesitated to
make literary capital of his own
experience. Every emotion was
analysed, and then transferred to
paper. 1t was thus that Faust"
was conceived, born and devel-
oped. "Faust" is the man Goethe
played upon by the influences Of
earth, OF heaven and OF hell.
Moreover, he who spared not his
own feelings could not be expected
to spare his friends, and it was
thus that Charlotte Buff found her
self the heroine of romance that
thrilled all Germany to the hearts
core.
New Years day, I775, was the
next fateful day for Goethe; for it
was then that he first met the
young and beautiful "Lili" who
bears the distinction Of being the
poets only "bride," as a maiden
formally betrothed is called in
Germany. ANNA Elizabeth
Schoenemann, known to all OF
Goethe's friends and readers as
"Lili," was a very beautiful and
brilliant girl belonging to one OF
the most aristocratic families in
Frankfort. Goethe met her for the
6rst time surrounded by a charm
ing company Of young people in
her own home. He was at once
fascinated by her simple, cordial,
selfpossessed manner, her spark
ling repartee, and her personal
beauty. Lii, however, was no
novice in society. She was accus-
toned to attention and admiration,
ard did not easily yield to Goethe's
ardent suit, which grew more
eager and lmPassioned as Lii held
herself coYly alooi. AT last, after
three months of ardent wooing. the
citadel surrendered. Now il would
seem that Goethe had obtained
all that even his great and aspiring
soul could wish. Goethe believed
himself blessed and happy until his
betrothal was publicly announced.
Then. with that strange revulsion
of feeling which he had before ex-
perienced at the height OF loves
attainment, he felt himself a
prisoner rather than a conqueror,
and soon began to chate in the
bonds Of love. He also very soon
discovered that his Lii had a mind
and spirit OF her own, and could
not be so easily bent and moulded
to his will as, from her youth and
sweet disposition, he had at first be-
lieved. Then he iancied that LIli's
love lacked intensity, that 1t did
not respond perfectly to his own
supreme passion. In short she was
not the "Stella" who was then the
ideal of his soul. On the other
side, Lily's mother was not alto
gether satisfied with this exacting
suitor. Frau Schoenemann did
not consider Goethe her daugh-
ter's equal socially; she cared
nothing,for his genius and vas Of
Tended at his self will and his
idiosyncrasies.
This experience threw Goethe
into a most unhappy state of mind.
His heart, held by an irresistible
fascination, yet torn by doubts and
fears, yields, ,surrenders, fluctuates,
resists, hopes, despairs, until he at
last resolves to sever the bonds
which are at once his happiness
and his misery. For temporary re-
lief he makes journey to Switzer-
land; but absence from Lii only
draws him nearer to her in spirit.
Suddenly, on her birthday, the
sight of little gold heart which
she has given him reawakens his
love in all its first intenseness. He
feels that he cannot live without
her, and he abruptly takes leave of
his travelling companions and re-
turns to Frankfort. On meeting
his betrothed Goethe finds her
more beautiful and fascinating
than ever before. He is enthralled
anew, only to pass through the
familiar stages Of rapture, doubt
and despair. Lii, constant and
tue, endeavors to hold her errant
lover in spite OF adverse circum-
stances. She even proposes to
him that they turn their backs on
all these hindrancss and obstacles
and fly to America, there to live
entirely for each other" Her ef-
forts, however, are vain; and influ-
enced by her family friends and the
reports which doubtless misrepre-
sented Goethe's earlier love affairs,
Lii at last decideS:-"Whatever
we may suffer apart, true happiness
will not come of our union"
Goethe breaks the engagement;
but he is conscious of having been
dismissed. AS Tor Lii, she suffered
deeply, but she was not heart
broken like Frederica. She was
afterward happily married to Baron
Won Tuerckheim. The beautiful
girl developed into noble woman.
In after lie she paid most CRATE
full tribute to the lover Of her
youth, saying that she owed to
him her moral and spiritual ex,
istence.
State Of Ohio. City of Toledo, s.