Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-06
GOETHE'S LOVE AFFAIRS.
THEY WE'RE MANY AND OF A
VARIED CHAR CTER.
Explanation of His Apparent Tickle
ness-G0ethe the Man Adored
Goethe the Genius-Sacri-
feed All to Ambition.

IAdiS, WHICH WIS pul OuG ldCtOE III iAV
great general romantic movement in let
tiers Of the last century. was different from
our latter day romanticism in that the
poets, and authors who provoked it not
only. wrote Economically, but also lived ro-
mantically. Goethe, who was one of the
great promoters of this phase OF literature,
dipped his pen in his own heart-and a
very susceptible and emotional heart II
was. One of his earliest works, THE Sor-
| rows of Werther,' was nothing less than a
record of his hopeless passion for Charlotte
Buff. who lived at Wetzler, and was the
affianced bride OF Goethe's friend. kest-
ner.
A writer in the Cosmopolitan gives an in
teresting account of Goethe's many heart
affairs in a paper entitled THE Loves OF
Goethe" The explanation advanced by the
writer for Goethe's apparent hckleness Is
that Goethe seems to have possessed d
| dual nature. He was. from early youth,
conscious of his own power. He admitted
that he never met a man whom he felt 10
be his intellectual superior: and he rem
dered the same homage to his own genius
which he demanded and received from
others. Goethe the man adored Goethe the
| genius. Like Napoleon. he believed himself
to be a man of destiny and like Napoi-
con, he was willing to sacrifice all Things
to his own controlling ambition 1t was
therefore with less than the usual COM
| FUNCTIONS he cast from him the mistresses
of his soul when they had lent sufficient
color to his dreams. 1t was with the blood
of their hearts that he wrote some OF mis-
most notable poems. Goethes flrst sweet
heart was Charitas, a lovely girl. the COM
panion of his sister. Cornelia. at Frank
fort. Her image was soon dispelled by the
attractions of Hatcher SOlkopf. an inn
keepers daughter at Leipsic. during the
| young poets attendance at the university
there. Music, dancing. amateur plays
| and verse making" says the writer made
the days and evenings in the little wine
| shop very attractive"
Kiss md a Curse.
A dramatic story Of Goethe's vernal
| courtships is that of his passion for the
| elder daughter of a French dancing master.
| Lucinda. the younger. was secretly in love
| with the handsome Wolfgang. and one day,
breaking into the room where he was de-
claring his affection for her sister. She
lips. declaring that a curse should fan
upon the next maiden whose lips ne
touched. Goethe in his old age refers 70
this tale as a veritable incident, and It
| would seem that the curse of the mad
girl was visited on the next object OF MS
worship. Frederick Brion. perhaps the first
real grand passion of the poet:
"'The LeipSic love affairs" writes Grimm,
seem child's play compared with this.
| Frederick was the first whom he earnestly
loved. the first whose heart he broke, and
was the daughter ofapastor of Sessenheim.
a beautiful, high-minded girl. The quaint
charm of life in the country parsonage ap-
pealed TO Goethe's nature. FREDERICK sang
her Swiss and Alsatian folk-songs for
Goethe. Goethe wrote to her his most
melting love songs. 1.-The confession of love
and the plighted troth seem to have dealt
loves death blow in the strange expert
ences of Goethe. To win a heart was rap
ture: to possess 1t when won safety
Goethe discovers that his love was a dream.
| realizing that a simple country girl was
not a fitting life companion. Frederick
wrote a Misunderstanding" letter to her low
er which received no reply. One would
forgive him much" comments Grimm. but
to have broken the heart of such a maiden
was inhunan."
After this Goethe meets Charlotte Buff.
passion. the betrothed Lotto bids him
farewell. The publicity. given Charlotte
by this tale was deeply resented. Anna
Elizabeth Schonemann, known as "Liii."
was Goethe's next idol, a brilliant girl, be-
longing to the aristocracy of Frankfort.
The match was opposed by Lili's family.
who cared nothing for genius. and re-
garded Goethe as an undesirable sutton.
Goethe suffered much on account of these
obstacles; he journeys to Italy. but fails
to forget his passion. Goethe's earlier love
affairs reach the girls ear. and she de-
cides to give up her adorer. writing to
him at the last. Whatever we may suffer
apart. true happiness will not come of our
union" Lii afterward married the Baron
Won Turckheim. and Goethe used 90 see
her az a happy wife blessed with beau
tiful children.
Love for Charlotte Won Stein.
His love for Charlotte Won Stein was
Goethe's next great emotion. He met her
at Weimar, whittier he had been invited
by the Duke Charles Augustus, and was
the center of a brilliant intellectual cir
Gle. Charlotte was unfortunately married,
and the friendship became finally a pla-
tonic friendship. Charlotte was his intel
lectual companion, and to her Goethe used
| to read his works Letters OaCSp6 hetu-aep
them in constant correspondence, which
for both was a great soiace and inSpira-
showed his susceptible heart by forming
an ardent friendship with Corona Schroter.
a beautiful actress, who took part in the
festivities at Weimar.
Later on he goes to Italy, where he meets
a charming girl. known as the Fair
Maid of Milan" whose portrait Goethe
painted in a mastery manner The en-
gagement was broken through the unfaith-
fulness of the poet. On his return from
Rome. Goethe falls in love with a young
girl named Christiane Nulpius. Goethe was
intellectual power. He formed with this
humble girl a union which is called "Ge-
wissensehe." conscience marriage. Goethe
considered this tie legally binding. but
the discovery shocked all Weimar Chris
thames presence in Goethe's house was con-
scientiously ignored. much to the concern
permitted to visit the houses of his friends.
In hope of giving Christiane a better
standing. Goethe. in 1906 when he was
an old man, regularly married her; but
his wife was never reinstated in the good
opinion of society. and Goethe begged in
vain for her recognition from his friends.
Christiane died in 1876. and Goethe was
left desolate and broken-hearted. He out
lived most of his personal friends. includ-
ing his wife and son. and such friends as
Schiller. Herder. Weiland and Karl Au-
gust. His last hours We're comforted by
his sons wife. an intelligent and sympa-
thetic girl. of whom the poet was very
fond. Goethe's was a long life of MANY
loves. but among all it was perhaps Lii
lection. A beautiful portrait OF this girl.
feeding doves and poultry. painted by the
famous kaulbach. remains to the world.
SIBERIAN GENTLEMAN'S LIFE.