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

From tho point OF view of Goethe's private
life the third chapter Of this volume is par
ticularly interesting. because it tells Of the
change in his relations with Nine. Won Stein
and Of his marriage with Christiane Vulpius.
The biographer tells us that in a letter
Of August 81, 17ss. in answer to her n
vitation to visit her in Kochburg, Goethe
wrote. as though it were a question OF
crossing the Alps; Il am 30 much afraid
of heaven and earth that 1 can hardly come
to you. The weather makes me altogether
unhappy, and I feel comfortable nowhere
but in my little room; there 1 nave a fire
made in my open fireplace, and outside 1t
may rain as much as it will What was a
loving woman to think OF this? What
was she to think. either, Of his deciding to
come several days later and Of his bring
ing several people with him? How was
she to interpret his enigmatical words
in another letter, which it seems was adj
dressed to her at Kochburg' Enjoy thy
solitude. God willing. IL will not be long
till l, too. have regained my solitude. 70
forsake it no more What could this
mean except that Goethe intended to fee
to Italy again, never TO RETURN No wonder
that, six weeks after Goethe's return from
his sojourn in Italy, Nine. Won Stein. when
she left Weimar to go to her estate, should
have complained: Goethe parted from
me as from a perfect stranger
Evidently the rupture was bound to come,
and it is probable that the discovery Of
Goethe's irregular union with Christiane
Vulpius, which apparently Frau Won Stein
first made at the beginning Of 1850, only
h~astenedit. When on May 4 OF that year she
started for Ems to take the baths she left
behind for Goethe a letter, in which she gave
him the chance OF renouncing either her or
Christiane. In two responsive letters con
tanning all sorts Of counter complaints
Goethe explained 10 her his point OF view,
emphasized how much he would value a
continuation Of her friendship, but refused
to comply with her chief request. denying
that his relations to Christiane were Of a
serious character. He seems to have be-
lieved that his explanations, which had a
ring Of genuine feeling, would have the
desired effect. He deceived himself. Nine.
Won Stein sundered entirely the bond which
already had been weakened. According TO
tAe author Of this biography, there we're
few who had any conception Of what in
tense pain this caused her. ITO me he is
now like a beautiful star that has fallen
from my sky" These words. which she
wrote at the end OF March. 1850, to Lotte
Won Lengefeld, in anticipation OF the inevita-
BILE, remained true throughout the rest OF
her life. Her sorrow over the happiness
OF which she had been robbed was all the
more intense because. in spite Of his faith
lessness," abe could not cease loving him
with all her soul. Nor did 10 afford her any
consolation to say to herself, as she COCA
~sionally did. that Goethe had completely
degenerated. This did not decrease her
love; it only enhanced her sorrow over his
fall from the ideal height upon which her
esteem had onoe placed him n over his
spiritual solitariness by the side Of Chris
tiane. y am often so overcome with sorrow
for him." she wrote in May. 1891, that /
could weep
Goethe, for his part, bore the loss more
easily, because for him the burden was
made lighter by his manifold studies, eI-
tending over a wide range Of subjects,
by his oeaseless intellectual activities, by
his passionate devotion TO poetry. by his
eventful life and by the pretty maid OF the
common people whom he had taken TO him.
self. Still he did not pass through the ex-
perience " ithout his share OF painful wounds.
Even though these may have healed quickly,
there came moments when the scare burned.
In one such moment. q year after the SSpa- !
ration, he wrote the verses which the trans