The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-06-23

iniuenoe7 In the present biography, a. We
have said, several chapters are devoted 70
this subject. There is no doubt that ut
first he welcomed with enthusiasm the
overthrow Of the absolutist regime In
France. Throughout Europe, indeed, q
thrill Of inspiration electrified all men who
led the higher intellectual life when King
Louis XVI. in the midst OF a magnificent
festal gathering on the Champs de Mars,
awore allegiance to the principles OF the
new Constitution. A new era OF reoopoilia-
ton. harmony. fraternity. liberty and manly
dignity seemed TO have daWned not only
for France but for the whole world. 1t was
In the following words. as Engiished by the
translator Of this biography, that Goethe
a few years later recalled thoss memorable
days: ,
Did not the nations ali, In those days Of anxious
excitement,
Look toward the city which long the world its cap
itAi counted
And which now more than ever deserved the gloi-
Qua titlef
Felt not every man new courage new spirit new
languagef
Who would deny that HIS heart had been greatly
uplifted
And tina, his free breathing bosom had throbbsd
with clearer pulSationS
Wucu y CT inc NOIIQ uIbl arose the ucNDOIu sun
In Its splendort
From the first, however. Goethe'e enthuSi-
asm was qualified. He recognized in the
whole political and social transformation Of
France. which he had early foreseen, a just
punishment for the sins Of royalty and OF
the privileged estates. but he did not see
how out OF the revolutionary acts anything
good or salutary could come. ALI the fine
articles OF the French Constitution and the
celebrations Of harmony were as nothing
when it came to quieting his fears and oon-
soling him. He knew human nature and
how hard it lie for mar to discipline himself.
He also knew that human nature does not
change in a night. Events soon justified
his misgivings. Even when, however. the
revolution reached the stage Of greatest
terror Goethe felt constrained to look upon
it not 30 much as an obnoxious spectacle
az a decree Of fate which frightened him
out Of the peaceful realm Of poetry and
science and drove him forth into the restless
world. He took part in the invasion OF
French soil by the army under the Duke Of
Brunswick. which was repulsed by Yalmy.
and when, a few months afterward, came
the news of the execution Of Louis XVI. he
may well have been discouraged to think
how easily the costly campaign in which he
had participated might have rescued the
King il the leadership had been more skill
full and more r~esolute. In order to draw his
mind away from the horrors OF the revolu-
ton he plunged into a prosecution Of his
studies in optics and into the composition
Of the humorous s~atirical poem 'Reineke
Fuchs"
The year 1894 brought new French vioto-
ries. 80 that as far down az Cologne the
Allied Armies we're driven almost entirely
from the left bank Of the Rhine. While
thus from a political point Of view the revo-
luton kept the poet in a state Of turmoil 1t
affected him disagreeably from another side.
It's successes in war made stronger the prop
uganda Of it's ideas; less now. however,
among the educated and well to do. whose
ardor had been cooled by the deeds of hor-
TOR in Paris and by their own danger, than
among the lower classes. who still had the
support Of a considerable number Of men
intellectually more prominent. Goethe was
quite out Of patience with the latter element,
which was to be found even In his immediate
environment. Some Of my friends are be-
having in a fashion that borders closely on
insanity" he wrote to Heinrich Meyer, oon-
graduating him on not being haunted by
'the nasty ghost that goes by the name Of
spirit OF the times" About the same date
Q794) Baron Won Gagern called upon the
minds Of Germany, first Of all
to devote their pens to the good
cause OF silencing the miserable band Of ag-
Let US see what Goethe did as an
author to stem the tide Of the general up
rising.